Scene of the clash

Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

The convoy of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers and that of his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi clashed on Saturday along Trans-Amadi road, Nwaja axis, in Port-Harcourt with security men attached to the two men having a go at each other, according to accounts of the events narrated by the media aides of the two politicians.

The heavily armed security operatives in the convoy of the two men demonstrated unusual restrain as they did not use their weapons on each other during the encounter, thus avoiding bloodshed. It was however gathered that one of the policemen in the convoy of minister of transportation was beaten to stupor and his gun taken away by his colleagues attached to Wike.

But Amaechi and Wike remained in their bullet proof, state of the art SUVs throughout the encounter, it was gathered.

And as expected, both camps have been blaming each other, with mutual accusation of ‘assassination attempt’ in their two separate statements on the clash.

Simeon Nwakaudu, media aide to Governor Wike said in a statement he issued in Port Harcourt that his boss escaped assassination attempt Saturday as soldiers and men of the Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, in the convoy of Amaechi attacked his convoy.

He added that the governor’s out rider was hit by the convoy and the Policemen in the Pilot car attacked. According to him, the Governor was inspecting ongoing road construction in the area was not hurt and he continued with his inspection of the road project after the incident.

the same vein, the minister of transportation, in a statement by his aide said he “narrowly” escaped being shot by security men attached to Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers state.

Amaechi’s media office said in a statement: “Accompanied by cars of many of his supporters, the minister’s black jeep was intercepted and blocked at the junction by the security motorcycle outrider attached to Wike after two cars had passed through.

“One of the two cars had security men assigned to protect the minister in Port Harcourt. Suddenly, gun-toting security men attached to Wike’s convoy surrounded the minister’s car, threatening to shoot him.

“They hit the car, tried to smash the windscreens, back and side windows and broke a side mirror. All through this attack, Amaechi remained calm, inside the fortified Jeep. While the attack occurred, Wike remained inside his vehicle.

“The minister eventually passed through after the intervention of the security team on ground to protect him in Port Harcourt.

“However, when governor Wike got to the point where the incident occurred after Amaechi’s vehicle had gone by, his security men blocked the road again, dragged out from a vehicle and thoroughly beat up a policeman attached to protect Amaechi in Port Harcourt. The policeman’s rifle was also taken from him.”