The prime suspect in the Rivers State explosion was apprehended while receiving treatment at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital in Port Harcourt on Tuesday. The incident, described as a malicious attempt to detonate an explosive, occurred near the Presidential Hotel on the Port Harcourt-Aba Expressway during a protest.
The suspect, part of a protest allegedly organized by former local government chairmen and associates of Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, accidentally detonated a dynamite during the demonstration. The protests were linked to the occupation of the 23 Local Government Area (LGA) secretariats by the police, with Wike’s loyalists reportedly supporting the action.
Dr. Adaeze Oreh, the Rivers State Commissioner for Health, confirmed the incident. She disclosed that the suspect was brought to the hospital with injuries initially reported as resulting from a road traffic accident. However, medical personnel quickly identified the injuries as consistent with a blast rather than a traffic accident.
“When a young man was brought to the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital with alleged injuries from a road traffic accident, our medical team immediately recognized that the injuries were blast-related,” Dr. Oreh stated. “The individual was semi-conscious and was taken to the theater for resuscitation. The hospital staff promptly notified the Rivers State government, the Commissioner of Police, and the Ministry of Health.”
The suspect is currently stable and under police guard. Dr. Oreh assured that the hospital premises are fully secured and that the patient is receiving the necessary medical treatment while the police conduct their investigation.
Dr. Oreh also noted that several individuals brought the suspect to the hospital, but most left immediately after. “One person remains with the patient, and we are cooperating with the Nigeria Police Force in their investigation,” she said.
The protests were sparked by a dispute between the 23 former local government chairmen and the Rivers State government over the expiration of their tenure and the subsequent appointment of a caretaker committee to replace them.
