Suspected political thugs on Friday morning set fire to a ward office of the African Democratic Congress in Ubima, the hometown of former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi, located in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Residents said the attack happened in the early hours of Friday, only a few hours before Amaechi was expected to formally register with the party at the ward.
Sources in the community alleged that the attackers were loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who is also a former governor of Rivers State.
According to witnesses, the assailants stormed the ADC ward office in Ubima and set the building on fire, destroying party materials and other items inside the facility.
One resident said the incident appeared to be connected to the political tension in the area ahead of Amaechi’s planned registration with the party.
“Thugs loyal to the FCT Minister came early in the morning and burnt down the ADC ward office in Ubima,” the resident said. “This happened just before Amaechi was expected to register with the party today.”
No casualties were reported at the time of filing this report.
Amaechi, who previously served as Nigeria’s Minister of Transportation, is from Ubima and remains a major political figure in Rivers State.
Efforts to get a response from the Rivers State Police Command were unsuccessful. The Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, said she needed more details about the incident and asked that a text message be sent to her line.
As of the time of filing this report, she had not issued an official response.
