Three gallant police officers, among them an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), have lost their lives while two others suffered serious gunshots wounds in their brave and successful bid to prevent the abduction of Jerry Needam, Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, to the Rivers State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The wounded officer and Mr. Needam’s security guard are now receiving treatment at a private hospital in the state capital, Port Harcourt.

The incident took place in the early hours of Tuesday and was the third of such an attempt in recent times.

Reports said the daredevil men stormed Needam’s residence in the wee hours of Tuesday and shot sporadically to gain entrance into the compound. During the incident which lasted for over two hours, the PDP chieftain was said to have put a distress call to the police, who promptly arrived his residence and engaged the invaders in a fierce gun battle.

Mr. Needam says he believes that the masterminds of the kidnap and assassination attempt are his political opponents who desperately want him silenced following his strong political views and his penchant for speaking the truth.

He has reached out to the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Musa Kimo, commending “the prompt response of the police to the distress call and their demonstration of professionalism in the encounter with the heavily armed assassins.” He expresses confidence in the ability of the Command to investigate the matter and fish out those behind what he believes was an assassination attempt on his life and his household. He sympathises with the Police Command and the families of the deceased policemen, praying that God would give them the fortitude to bear the loss of their beloved bread winners.

Mr. Needam also expresses gratitude to God “who saved his life and his family in all of these incidents and to all friends and well-wishers who on hearing the news of the condemnable incident, called to show concern and to wish him God’s protection.”

•Photo shows blood-stained ground at Jerry Needam’s residence after the bloody encounter.