Seventy two hours after the leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Chidi Lloyd failed in his bid to stop the police from arresting him over the brawl that recently occurred in the chamber of the assembly, efforts by the Rivers State Police Command to track down for arrest has so far failed.
The lawmaker, who is one of the most loyal and vocal supporter of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi was declared wanted on the orders of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) after a video footage of Lloyd using a mace to severally hit fellow lawmaker, Hon. Micheal Chinda, who has been flown to London for treatment went viral on the internet.
The footage has also been broadcast on television and satellite stations across the country and beyond. But Lloyd, had gone to a Rivers State High Court last Friday to challenge the arrest warrant, but failed as Justice Esor Teetito declined to grant him an application to order the Nigerian Police to stay action on arresting him.
Justice Teetito, directed all the parties involved to maintain status quo until the determination of the suit, and adjourned the matter to July 25, 2013.
But the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Rivers State chapter, has accused the state government of hiding Lloyd from the police.
The party chairman, Hon. Felix Obuah, who stated this through his Special Adviser on media, Mr. Jerry Needam, called on the government to hand over Lloyd to the police for investigation.
“The Rivers State Governor knows where Lloyd, declared wanted by the police is hiding. We call on the state government to hand him over to the police for investigation,” Needam said.
But the state government in a sift reaction to the allegation, claimed that the Police knew where to find Lloyd.
He said, “Lloyd is not in Government House. He has been receiving treatment since the incident in the House of Assembly. I am sure that the police know where he is. You can see how one-sided they (police) are.
“Even when Evans Bipi was the first to hit Chidi Lloyd, the only person declared wanted is Lloyd. We saw a video clip where Bipi was boasting that he hit Chidi Lloyd. We also heard how he dealt Ngo, a lawmaker in the House a blow.
“We are shocked that nobody is inviting them (Bipi and four other anti-Rotimi Amaechi lawmakers) for interrogation. In the matter, there must be what we call cause and effect relationship. Bipi was the first to hit Lloyd before he (Lloyd) retaliated.”
