How Torn Campaign Poster Sparked Violence In Rivers State

On March 14, Emmanuel Asuquo was on his way to a campaign rally when he stopped to remove a campaign poster of a local politician in the area pasted on a wall at a road junction at Obono village, Rivers state.

Rivers Pre electoral violence commission

He was later accosted by a handful of youth and a fight started leaving him with bodily injuries with which he still made his way to the campaign ground organized by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), witnesses said. After 5 days Asuquo sadly passed away.

The avengement initiated by the deceased’s family on the same day unleashed brutal assaults on over half a dozen homes and properties in the community.

The armed youths targeted the homes of Blessing Nwuchegbuo, a known campaigner for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and other members of his family.

The homes and properties of family members of Victor Amadi, a member of the House of Assembly, whose poster was torn, were also destroyed.

Nwuchegbuo a strong grassroots politician told  the Commission of Inquiry on Tuesday that before the violence started he received threats from PDP members.

He added that he had mobilized people for the campaign of Victor Amadi, representing Etche Constituency 1, which angered PDP supporters.

“Three days after the mobilisation, I was attacked. I had to leave my car and ran into the bush. It was after three days that I went to retrieve the car.

“After my attack, I equally reported to the police but the man didn’t accept to follow me to the village.”‎

According to Nwuchegbuo the rivalry between his family and the Asuquos dates back to 2008 when he defeated Asuquo in a councillorship election. He said, things escalated after Asuquo died of malaria and typhoid and was accused of killing him.

A woman, identified as Augustina Nwuchegbuo, said on the night of the incident, armed robbers returned, shot her dog and stole her money.

The youths used a jack hammer to knock down the side of a five bedroom building, the home of Loveday Onunwa at Umuikpe-Ozuzu,

Onunwa said he now resides at his mother’s house at Etche-Elele. He said“When I saw my house burning, in fact, I faint (sic). I’m a poor man, I know how many years I suffered to build that house,” Mr. Onunwa, a stock fish trader, told the Commission on Monday.

Onunwa accused the deceased’s family of masterminding the destruction.

On the second day, the youth returned and headed to the family compound of Amadi, where his father’s and uncle’s houses were set ablaze leaving only his newly built mansion untouched.

The Redeemed Christian Church of God nearby was riddled with bullet holes as well.

Meanwhile the Rivers state Governor, Rotimi Amaechi has instituted the Rivers State Commission of Inquiry to probe the politically-motivated killings, and destruction of properties to the people ahead and during the 2015 general elections.‎

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) attempted to halt the investigation, but the commission and went ahead to view testimonies from witnesses.