The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the death of one of its officers, who died while trying to repel gunmen at the venue of the APC rally in Okrika, Rivers State.
While one officer has been confirmed dead, five others were severely injured with bullet wounds.
In a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmad Mohammad, the police condemned the attack on harmless party faithful.
Mohammad said it will make efforts to unravel the perpetrators of the act
The police, however, appealed to the people of the state to shun violence and obey the law throughout the period of the elections.
According to him, “The Rivers State Police Command wishes to confirm that on 17/02/2015 at about 1430 hours, at National School Field, Okrika, All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial rally arena was disrupted with sporadic shootings from a far distance to the arena by unknown and unpatriotic elements.
“It took the instantaneous efforts by Policemen massively deployed to secure the arena to repel the assailants and save the situation. Preliminary details indicated a Policeman engaged in the operation lost his life and three others got injured from a stray bullets and a journalist was also stabbed. Nothing happened to any of the All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwarts as they were safely evacuated by the police. The area is now calm while discreet investigation into the scenario has in earnest commenced.
“While the Command is determined to rise up to all challenges and discharge its constitutional mandate of protection of life and property, citizens of Rivers State are continually advised to be law abiding, respect of law and order and eschew violence in all its ramifications before, during and after 2015 general election.
“The Command is determined to enforce law and order, provide adequate security for all political parties and ensure that the full wrath of the law is visited on any person(s) who dare and wish to test our capability”.
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