…Confirm two dead
Ex-agitator and governorship candidate of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), Sobomabo Jackrich, was arrested by security agencies, not kidnapped, the Police in Rivers State has clarified.
News broke early Monday, April 8, 2024, that the ex-agitator who is now a political leader was kidnapped in his locality (Usokun residence in Degema Local Government Area of the state) by men in uniform. Many said it was an abduction.
An aide to Jackrich, one George Zua, confirmed the invasion by uniformed men to newsmen. He said the operation was carried out in a commando style, that two aides of the NRM candidate were killed and that their bodies were taken away by the unknown assailants.
Zua was quoted to say that the operation which began at about 2 am Monday lasted for over eight hours.
The names of those killed in the attack were given as Diamond Tamunoiminabo and Sincere Jackrich.
The police public relations officer (PPRO) in the state however, clarified to newsmen that what took place was an arrest, not kidnap. She did not explain why persons were killed.
Other sources say the arrest may have been carried out by soldiers who may hand over the suspect to the Directorate of State Security (DSS) any moment from now.
No source has disclosed what led to the invasion in Degema or arrest of Jackrich but soldiers have widened their dragnet in the hunt in the Okuama crisis.
Jackrich has remained a prominent voice in Ijaw ethnic nationality across states in the Niger Delta. He recently said the struggle against marginalisation of the oil region was justified, but advised against further use of violence or destruction of oil assets, saying this has made the people of the region poorer.
