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abujagirl
Guest
It has been reported by the Nigerian Guardian and Tribune newspapers that the Rivers State House of Assembly Majority Leader, Chidi Lloyd, may have started going blind in police custody after allegedly being tear-gassed and poisoned with a chemical substance.
This revelation came just as 25 other colleagues of his in the House of Assembly raised the alarm over his safety in the custody of the police. According to the Deputy Speaker of the House, Leyii Kwanee, his colleagues had been denied access to him. Speaking with journalists in Port Harcourt, Kwanee said: “Chidi Lloyd was blindfolded. He was tortured and tear-gas was spread all over him. As I speak to you, some of us have been refused access to him. We have been informed that Chidi Lloyd is going blind, occasioned by the tear-gas that was thrown all over him, particularly on his eyes. Medical help has been refused also to him.”
In the same vein, 25 members of the House of Assembly, in a statement issued to the media in Port Harcourt on Sunday, asked Nigerians to hold the state’s Police Commissioner, Mr Mbu, responsible for any harm that might come to Lloyd in the course of his interrogation and after.
“Since his arrival in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Police Commissioner, Joseph Mbu has assaulted and tortured him like a criminal. They have been moving him from one station to another since he reported to CP Mbu’s office on arrival from Abuja. As his lawyer Mr Bello Olisa Nwofor stated, the continued blindfolding and detention of Hon Chidi Lloyd by the Police is emphatically dangerous to his health and life.
“We have also heard from the lawyer who accompanied Lloyd from Force Headquarters to Port Harcourt, Mr Emenike Ebete, that over 500 anti -riot policemen escorted Chidi Lloyd from the airport to the CP’s office and transported in a ‘ Black Maria’ as authorities would move criminals.
“As a House we are indeed saddened to note that the Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly was blindfolded, tear-gased and handcuffed.
“Is Mbu aware of Chidi Lloyd’s medical history?
“Why the blindfold? He is only alleged to have committed an offence. He is not a terrorist or an armed robber, neither is he a kidnapper. He is a representative of Emohua Constituency of Ikwerre Ethnic nationality at the Rivers State House Of Assembly and a Legal practitioner who will stand for truth and justice even when the truth is too much for those bent on destroying our hard-earned democracy with unnecessary impunity.
“We genuinely fear for the life of the Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly whose present whereabouts remain unknown and whose only offence is that he defended democracy and its values.
“We are: Honourables Golden Ngozi Chioma; Innocent B. Barikor; Josiah John Olu; Ibiso Nwuche; Belema Okpokiri; Legbosi Nwidadah; Andrew Anderson Miller; Augustine Ngo; Ben Horsfall; Okechukwu Nwaogu; Victor Amadi; Azubike Chikere Wanjoku; Victoria Nyeche; Benibo Anabraba; Irene Inimgba; Felicia Barizasi-Tane; Aye Atamah Pepple; Onari Brown; Gift Wokocha; Ewor Nname Robinson; Lucky Odili; Chigbo Eligwe; Leyii Kwanee;Ikwunyi Igbani; Tonye Harry and the Speaker Otelemaba Amachree(25 Lawmakers)”, the makers said.
When contacted to confirm the allegation that Lloyd was being tortured on Mbu’s directives and that he was going blind, the Rivers State Police Command spokesperson, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Angela Agabe, told The Guardian: “Please, I don’t have any comment on that.”
In a statement issued on his behalf by his Media Adviser, Jerry Needam, Obuah said yesterday in Port Harcourt that based on reliable information he received, Amaechi had directed the state attorney-general to prevent the prosecution of Lloyd in Port Harcourt.