Rivers CP orders arrest of gunmen
From Tony John, Port Harcourt
A Hilux van carrying company workers, including a foreigner, plunged into the Okulu River on Monday night, while escaping from suspected kidnappers along the Eleme axis of the East-West Road in Rivers State.
Daily Sun gathered that the driver lost control of the vehicle after gunmen attacked the convoy, causing it to skid off the bridge and plunged into the river.
Witnesses, yesterday, said the body of the expatriate has been recovered.
Chairman of Eleme Local Government Area( LGA), Brian Gokpa was said to have mobilised a rescue team to the scene , yesterday with the support of operatives from the Nigerian Navy and other rescue agencies to retrieve the vehicle and its occupants.
Gokpa reiterated his commitment to safeguarding lives and property in the area, vowing to empower more personnel to assist in the ongoing rescue efforts and ensure the perpetrators of the attack are brought to justice.
Professional divers and Marine Police were also deployed to scene, while frantic efforts were on going to recover other victims and vehicle from the river.
Similarly, the state Commissioner of police, Olugbenga Adepoju, with his team visited the scene .
However, Adepoju, has ordered the immediate arrest of the gunmen behind the death of the foreign national, Mr. Gibson Reuben from the Netherlands.
Until his untimely death, Reuben was the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Rivers State Cassava Project Limited.
Adepoju, gave the order to arrest the culprits, during his visit to the scene of incident yesterday. River state Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO), SP Grace Iringe-Koko, disclosed that the incident occurred on Monday, at Aleto Eleme Bridge, where unknown gunmen ambushed Reuben’s vehicle, causing him to lose control and crashed into the river.
According to Iringe-Koko, the Mobile Police personnel accompanying the deceased managed to escape.
She stated that: “Fortunately, the Mobile Police personnel accompanying Reuben managed to escape, but he (Reuben) and the Hilux Van are still submerged in the water.”
She added that search party led by the Command’s Marine Unit was constituted to rescue the expatriate who was also the driver in charge of the Hilux van.
Iringe-Koko added that the search party’s efforts resulted in the recovery of the lifeless body of Reuben and the white colour Toyota Hilux van.
She said: “The recovery of the body and vehicle brings somber end to the rescue efforts.”
Adepoju was accompanied by the Area Commander Eleme, Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) within the Eleme Area Command and tactical teams of the command, who were already at the scenes.
The CP at the scene strongly condemned the attack as ‘very barbaric’.
He appealed to members of the public to provide credible information that could lead to the arrest of the fleeing perpetrators of the act.
He commended the council chairman for swift response and for mobilising security forces and rescue teams to address the incident.
Meanwhile, property owners along the Eleme section of East West road have expressed concerns about the incident.
In their reaction, members of the group said the recent incident was another evidence of unprofessional approach and lack of safety measures of the company handling the reconstruction of the East West road.
They condoled with the families of the victims and criticized Reynolds Construction Company’s (RCC’s) handling of the construction contract.
They pointed out the unprotected nature of the Aleto bridge, which could have been prevented by a professional construction company.
Chairman, Property Owners on the Eleme East West Road, Joseph Obele, in a statement, said the Monday accident was one of their reasons for calling for the revocation of RCC’s contract.
Obele said: “The accident led to a vehicle plunging off the dilapidated bridge, and rescue operations are underway. Emergency response teams, including the Rivers State Emergency Management Agency, National Emergency Management Agency, Federal Road Safety Corps, and local police, are working together to conduct rescue operations.
“Furthermore, road users have consistently complained about the hazardous condition of the Aleto bridge, which has been left unprotected for an extended period. Despite these warnings, RCC failed to take necessary measures to address the risks, resulting in this tragic accident.
The property owners, however, thanked the council chairman for responding promptly to the incident, emphasizing the need for immediate safety measures.
They also commended the state Commissioner of police, Adepoju, for coming to the scene.
“The property owners join the public in calling for the Honourable Minister of Works to revoke RCC’s contract and re-award it to a reputable construction company that prioritizes speed and safety.”