Group counters Fubara over monarchs’ arrest
A group, Ekpeye Advocacy Group, has countered Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, over his recent comment linking the arrest and detention of two monarchs to support for his administration.
In a statement on Tuesday by its convener, Olimini Chinuzoke, and Director of Publicity, Nnamdi Ezebalike, the group argued that the monarchs were arrested for alleged murder.
Governor Fubara had, during the inauguration of the remodeled Government Girls’ Secondary School in Ahoada Town, said Eze Ekpeye Logbo, His Imperial Majesty Eze Kelvin Anugwo, and Eze Cassidy Ikegbidi, were targeted and detained due to their political alignment with him.
He also said the Chief of Staff, Government House, Dr. Edison Ehie, had been declared wanted by the police on trumped-up charges for similar reasons.
But Ekpeye Advocacy Group claimed that the monarchs’ arrest was in connection to the murder of the Divisional Police Officer of Ahoada Police Division, Bako Amgbashim.
“The governor’s claim that the Ekpeye kings were persecuted due to their support for him is baseless and misleading. Their arrest and detention were in connection with the brutal killing of SP Bako, which occurred on September 9, 2023, long before any political crisis involving the governor emerged.
“It is on record that DPO Bako was murdered on September 9, 2023, and the Ekpeye kings were arrested two days later, on September 11, 2023. Meanwhile, the political ordeal involving the governor did not occur until October 30, 2023. These events are unrelated, and the governor’s attempt to link them is unfounded,” the group said.
