Armed men suspected to be political thugs on Friday engaged the convoy of the leader of the African Democratic Party in the South-South, Chibuike Amaechi, in a gun duel.

The gunmen attacked the convoy of the former governor of Rivers State between his community, Ubima, and Omuanwa in the Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The former minister was in his community for his e-registration as a member of the African Democratic Party, ADC.

Before Amaechi arrived in his community around 12:15pm on Friday, some suspected thugs had already mounted a roadblock, turning back every bus identified as carrying ADC members attending the visit.

The thugs had earlier, Thursday night, set ablaze the ward office of the ADC in Ubima, Amaechi’s country home.

The hired criminals, who invaded the community with heavy gun power to stop the former governor’s visit, had shot sporadically into the community and riddled Amaechi’s family house gate with bullets.

However, when the ADC leader arrived to enter his community, the armed thugs stopped his convoy, but the security operatives in the team engaged the criminals.

When the trained security operatives showed superior firepower, the armed thugs fled into the bushes.

Addressing hundreds of members of the party, who were present to witness the e-registration exercise, Amaechi called for calm.

Amaechi thanked the Commissioner of Police, the Director of DSS and the Commandant of NSCDC for their swift intervention.

Amaechi, who spoke after taking a tour of the burnt party’s office, said the security agencies showed professionalism in their response.

He urged members of the party not to join in causing violence, noting that the task is left for the police to unravel, arrest and prosecute those behind the attacks.

He said, “I will thank the commissioner of police and the director of DSS. They showed a lot of professionalism; immediately I made contact with them.

“In fact, I wasn’t expecting that kind of cooperation. I thought they would be behind these criminals and not render support. But all of us will agree that the police came out, the NSCDC came out, and the DSS came out. So we are grateful to them. I’m grateful to them, especially those of them who are here.

“But they must also know that this cannot continue. The way they will show us that this cannot continue is that they must prosecute those who are involved in this crime.”

Amaechi urged the governor of the state to make efforts to provide adequate security in all parts of the state, to avert anarchy.

He encouraged members of the party to commence massive mobilisation, adding that the target is the presidency.

He said, ‘I have been a governor, and I know the consequences of not protecting the lives of people.’ The people will begin to protect their lives by themselves because they don’t want to die.

“But for now everybody should come down. Everybody should thank the Commissioner of Police. Everybody should thank the Director of SSS and the Commandant of NSCDC.

“Our role is to be calm, is to be peaceful. We are marching to Aso Rock. What they are doing is a distraction. What they are doing will not put food on your table.

“We are hungry. If you are not hungry, tell them I am hungry. People are dropping dead every day because of hunger.

And there are a few people who are stealing our money, and they say we should keep quiet.

“We can no longer keep quiet. ADC Rivers State, you must register en masse. You must make sure that we have enough members to surprise them. On election day, they will know whether we will vote or not.” (Vanguard)