Rivers faction speaker alleges that “rogue police officers” and armed individuals attacked his home
Edison Ehie, a former leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly and a factional speaker, claims that he narrowly avoided being killed on Sunday during an assault on his apartment.
Ehie provided the media with confirmation of the incident on Monday morning, telling them, “Yes, really, it was crazy but my house has been taken over by heavy security and they are doing a security sweep of the whole compound.”
The legislator continued by saying that he would be holding a press conference later in the day.
The speaker for the faction was addressing a statement that had been made public on Facebook.
The statement said, “At about 11 p.m. on Sunday, the 19th day of November 2023, a group of armed thugs and rogue police officers led by one SP. Irikefe London Owen, a superintendent of police attached to the CTU B 3 RSV and CSP Salihu Masalachi attacked the private residence of the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Barr. Edison Ogerenye Ehie, DSSRS, fully armed with an intention to assassinate Mr. Speaker and his family.”
According to the statement, a gun duel between the intruders and the official security elements attached to Ehie resulted in the assailants being defeated.
Grace Iringe-Koko, the spokesperson for the police command, responded by saying that the Chief of Police has gone out to the officers who were involved and that they would be coming to the Command Headquarters to speak with the Chief of Police.
SP Irifeke London was the camp commandant of the Rivers State Government House prior to the current governor being subjected to tear gas and subsequent redeployment. The current governor was tear-gassed.
After the fire that destroyed the House of Assembly on October 29, MPs who supported Martins Amaewhule removed Ehie from his position as leader, but he retaliated by announcing himself as speaker, which caused a legislative crisis in the House. The fire on October 29 completely destroyed the House of Assembly.