APC, PDP clash in Rivers, 2 soldiers injured

4 persons in police net

Two soldiers were reportedly wounded and property worth millions of naira destroyed late Sunday night when supporters of All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) clashed in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The communities mostly affected were Egwie, Okomoko, Ulakwo 1 and Ulawkwo 2, and it was gathered that the communities had been deserted.

Police have arrested four persons suspected to be involved in the violence.

Daily Sun gathered that the soldiers, who sustained bullet wounds, were among the task force deployed in the council area to restore peace and order.

It was alleged that the violence was caused by a chieftain of one of the parties, who wanted to gain political dominance in the area.

According to sources, the supporters of the two parties freely used arms for hours before the intervention of soldiers.

A native, who spoke to Daily Sun on phone, said: “The incident took place at Ulakwo and later extended to other communities. A politician in the area orchestrated the violence. There are pending political issues in the area. The communities involved have not known peace. Since the incident, we have been running up and down because of the shootings.

“All the youths, women and men have deserted the communities and are at present taking refuge in the bush. The politicians are arming the youths with different weapons.

“As I speak now, our people are taking refuge in the bush because of fear of being killed.”

Meanwhile, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Etche, Mr. Charles Anyanwu, has appealed to the parties involved in the crisis to sheathe their swords.

Anyanwu, who spoke to reporters on the incident, confirmed that two soldiers sustained bullet wounds during the crisis.

“I learnt that two military officers sustained bullet wounds. From the report I got, it was the youths who were involved in the shootings. This is uncalled for even when 2015 elections is yet to come,” he said.

When contacted, the state Assistant Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Grace Iringe-Koko, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), told Daily Sun that the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area said there was normalcy in the area.