THE Rivers State Police Command has launched an investigation into two explosions that occurred in Port Harcourt this morning, coinciding with a local government election in the state.
In a statement, the Command’s spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the explosions—one at the Rivers All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat and another at the Obio/Akpor council headquarters in Rumuodumaya.
The first explosion took place at the APC Secretariat on Aba Road around 3:00 AM.
A security guard reported hearing a loud bang and saw three black Toyota Hilux vans leaving the area. The blast caused extensive damage, including the destruction of the gate, shattered windows, and a fire that engulfed the security post.
The second explosion occurred around 3:30 AM at the Obio/Akpor Council secretariat.
Eyewitnesses reported that a black Toyota Hilux van and a white Toyota Sienna passed by the site, and the occupants allegedly threw an object, possibly a stick of dynamite, which damaged the roof and generator house of the complex.
In response, the police deployed the Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) and Anti-Bomb Squad to both locations.
At the APC secretariat, they recovered an improvised explosive device (IED) and confirmed the use of incendiary materials in the attack on the security building.
The EOD has collected evidence from both sites and is actively investigating the incidents.
The Chairman of the faction of APC in Rivers State, Tony Okocha narrated how the incident happened and blamed it on the governor, Siminalayi Fubara describing how armed individuals arrived, dropped explosives, and attempted to set the building on fire.
Okocha questioned the motive, noting that the APC secretariat is not a voting center, and accused the perpetrators of deliberately trying to embarrass and undermine the party.
“About 3:20 am some gun-trotting young men with their explosives and all that, came here and dropped the first explosive, maybe because the one they dropped here did not detonate, they came back the second time to burn the structure – look at the security house is gone.
“Behind me, you will see that there was also an attempt, our people came and we were able to quench the fire,” Okocha said.
“Is the APC secretariat here any voting unit? There is no voting unit here. So, it was deliberate to see how they can annihilate us, it is deliberate to see how they can embarrass us, it is deliberate to see how they can decimate us.”