The alleged bombing of a High Court in Ahoada, Rivers State in the morning of Monday January 6th, has infuriated public concern, following myriad of accusations and counter accusations from political interest groups in the oil-rich state, currently embroiled in class feud.

The bombing of the court where Justice Charles N. Wali usually holds court, reportedly occurred on Monday morning a few hours before a politically charged suit against Hon Evans Bipi, a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly and leader of a group of 6 lawmakers, who has allegedly been unlawfully parading himself as the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Recall that Justice Wali had about a month ago ordered Bipi to stop parading himself as Speaker of the House of Assembly as the tussle over control of the state government between loyalists of the Presidency and Rivers Governor Rotimi Amaechi continue. The suit was adjourned to January 6.

Justice Charles Wali was to hear a suit instituted by the Speaker of the House, Otelemaba Amachree, and others seeking an injunction to refrain Bipi from further parading himself as the Speaker of the Assembly when the incident occurred.

Eyewitnesses said that “the first explosion occured at about 2 a.m. with a shattering sound and damaged the building. Upon resuming work, the registrar of the Court noticed two suspicious objects and alerted the police. Experts from the Bomb Disposal Unit then proceeded to diffuse the second bomb also within the premises of the High Court.”

Reacting to the incident, the Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Worgu Boms, lamented that the actions were designed to instill fear in the judiciary.

Meanwhile the Rivers State Government has alleged that the Supervising Education Minister Nyesom Wike, along with the leader of the opposition lawmakers in the state House of Assembly, Evans Bipi, might be the ones behind Monday’s bombing of the State High Court at Ahoada, in Ahoada East Local Government Area of the state.

Bipi is a known loyalist of Nigeria’s First Lady, Patience Jonathan, and the supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, is the leader of a group of six lawmakers opposed to the state governor, Chibuike Amaechi.

Corroborating the claim, the Rivers state Commissioner of Information and Communication, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, alleged that the bombing of the Ahoada High Court may have been sanctioned by the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI), the political platform of Minister Nyesom Wike. “We don’t know what their intentions are but it may not be unconnected with the on-going court cases which are related to the current political crisis in the state.

“The bombing looks like the handiwork of people who are close to the Supervising Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike and the member of the House of Assembly, representing Ogo-Bolu Constituency, Evans Bipi. Members of the GDI and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as it is currently constituted, are those likely to be behind these sought of violence. You will recall that there was an explosion at the office of the Deputy Governor, Engr. Tele Ikuru towards the end of the year”, Mrs. Semenitari said.

Although no casualty list have been issued, the Rivers State Police commissioner, Joseph Mbu and state police spokesperson, Ahmad Muhammed, are yet to make a public statement, even as a police Command source said investigation was on top gear over the explosion.

Also the Rivers state Chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has described as very unfortunate and sad the bomb explosion at Ahoada East High Court premises of Rivers State South-South of Nigeria which occurred toady’s morning (Monday January 6), noting that it was the handiwork of undemocratic elements.

A statement by Chief Eze chukwuemeka Eze alleged that those who perpetrated the heinous act may not be far from those who are not comfortable with the ruling of His Lordship, Hon. Justice C. N. Wali, of 16th December 2013 barring Hon. Evans Bipi, leader of the G6 rebel members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, from parading himself as Speaker of the Assembly.

The rest of press release made availale to Blank NEWS Online reads:

“It is on record that the Rivers State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) sponsored by Chief Nyesom Wike, the Supervising Minister of Education, has over the time condemned this ruling of thenAhoada East High Court because it threw a spanner in its plot to use the rebel lawmakers led by Bipi to impeach Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi in a House of 32 members. But the question we need to ask is, does the bombing of this court make Hon Bipi the Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly? One would have expected this group of misfitsnto challenge the ruling of the High Court at Ahaoda East in a higher court instead of sponsoring this act that exposes them as agents of violence.

“The record exposing the agenda of this misguided group for Rivers State and her people as violence prone was exhibited few days ago when security agencies in Rivers State caught six youths with various sophisticated and dangerous arms at Ogu the home town of Senator Sekibo and Hon Bipi. The suspects have been linked to Senator George Sekibo and Hon. Evans Bipi, both chieftains of the state chapter of the PDP led by Chief Wike, the Supervising Minister of Education, whose determination to destabilise the administration of Governor Amaechi is well known to all and sundry.

“The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC0 under the leadership of Chief (Dr.) Davies Ibiamu Ikanya strongly condemns this desperation by the PDP to turn Rivers State into a theatre of violence. Nigeria already has enough trouble to contend with! Dr. Ikanya therefore call on President Goodluck Jonathan to use his good offices to call PDP Leadership in Rivers State to order before they plunge Rivers State into a monumental and unprecedented chaos that will disrupt our hard democracy

“Dr Ikanya further states that it is most unfortunate if the report we read in today’s Daily Independent is true that our mother and sister the First Lady of Nigeria, Mrs. Patience Jonathan has ordered the Police Commissioner CP Joseph Mbu to release the six alleged youths that was caught with these illegal arms and that the arms should be also be released to the youths as well.

“Though we know that CP Mbu knowing very well the implication of carrying out such an unfortunate instruction if it is true will have both on the security and lives of Rivers State and her people and the perception of the International Community on our country unless it is proven that we now operate a lawless society. we expect him for the interest of Rivers State and the image of our dear country not only arraign these youths been used by these misguided politicians to terrorise innocent people of Rivers State before a competent court but ensure that those behind them are brought to book accordingly.

“All these notwithstanding, for the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state that this act of hooliganism and terrorism will not do Rivers State and its citizens any good. We therefore urge the security organs not to treat this issue with kid’s glove but with all amount of seriousness unearth those behind this wicked act as God will not allow these enemies of democracy to turn Rivers State into a war zone.

“Rivers State people based on the wicked acts of the PDP led Federal Government against Rivers State and her people have rejected PDP and they should accept their self-inflicted woes and allow peace to reign in the State!

“We are aware that the present PDP in Rivers State under Chief Wike is violence prone but we wish to reiterate that no amount of violence and intimidation will cause us to surrender the mandate freely given to us by the Rivers State people to a group that have demonstrated total disdain to democratic principles!.

“On behalf of Rivers APC, Dr. Ikanya wishes to plead with the good people of Rivers State not to despair but join Governor Amaechi to fight these misguided elements who have vowed to stop at nothing to bring the state to its knees just because of their personal differences with Governor Amaechi”.

PDP’s counter statement, condemning Amaechi’s desperation for power:

Jerry Needam who issued a statement on behalf of the Rivers state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Felix Obuah, said the High Court was bombed shortly before a case against the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Evans Bipi, was due to be heard.

Needam said the party suspected that the bombing was carried out by agents of the Rivers state Government to prevent the Court from sitting.

“Our team of Lawyers made up of over 10 Senior Advocates of Nigeria from Abuja and Lagos arrived the Ahoada High Court this morning to argue for the vacation of the interim order, and saw the senseless and barbaric destruction of the Court.

“The PDP makes bold to suspect that the reported bombing was carried out by agents of the Rivers State Government to prevent the court from sitting, so that the court would not be able to vacate the interim order made by the Ahoada High Court Judge, Hon. Justice Charles Wali, who has turned his court to a ministerial department of the Rivers State Governor’s office to issue all manners of orders, injunctions and judgements in favour of his paymaster, Governor Rotimi Amaechi, and subvert the course of justice.

“Their aim also of bombing the Ahoada High Court is to further create a state of insecurity in Rivers State, to justify their continuous call for the removal of the State Commissioner of Police.

“The PDP wishes to remind Rotimi Amaechi and his agents of darkness that the interim Order issued by Justice Charles Wali of the Ahoada High Court lasted for only seven (7) days, and it had since expired.

“Therefore, bombing the Court to prevent it from sitting was a wasted, wicked, callous and shameful exercise by agents of Governor Rotimi Amaechi.
”The PDP condemns Rotimi Amaechi’s desperation for power and assures that Amaechi would be held responsible for any break down of law and order in Rivers State.

“PDP urges Rivers people to remain calm and continue to pray for an end to Rotimi Amaechi’s government that has brought so much pains, shame and disgrace to a people he swore to govern.”

It could be recalled that the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had last month nullified a resolution by the National Assembly to take over the functions of the state legislature last July.

However, attempts by factions at the Rivers Assembly loyal to both the Presidency and the embattled Governor Amaechi, to reconvene in the state have been unsuccessful and resulted in violence that led to the sealing off of the Assembly complex by the police.

Also recall that Jerry Needam, media aide to the Chairman of the Rivers State state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Felix Obuah had alleged that the House plans to reconvene at the Government House, Port Harcourt, to pass the state’s 2014 Appropriation Bill, a claim that has been denied by the state government.

The deputy speaker, Mr. Kwanee had in a reaction to the claim, accused the PDP of overheating the polity to ensure that the people of the state did not benefit from the developmental programs initiated by the Governor Amaechi. He described the statement as ‘mischievous’ and a calculated attempt to induce another crisis in the House.