Press Statement

The Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to the Rivers State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Jerry Needam in the early hours of Tuesday, December 22, 2015 escaped a kidnap and assassination attempt.

The incident which is the third highly organized politically motivated plot on his life, occurred at his residence in Port Harcourt, during which scores of armed men engaged the Police in a fierce gun battle, leaving the compound, rooms and vehicles riddled with bullets.

Reports said the daredevil men stormed his residence in the wee hours of Tuesday morning and shot sporadically to gain entrance into the compound.

During the incident which lasted for over 2 hours, Mr. Needam was said to have put a distress call to the Police who promptly arrived his residence and engaged the gun men in a fierce gun battle.

At the end of the bloodletting battle, three of the gallant Police officers, including an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) lost their lives while two other Police officers and Mr. Needam’s security guard, who suffered serious gun shots are now receiving treatment at a private hospital in Port Harcourt.

Mr. Needam speaking shortly after the failed kidnap and assassination attempt on his life and family, believes that the mastermind 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.

Meanwhile, Needam, who few hours ago had interactions with the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Musa Kimo, on the incident expresses confidence in the ability of the Command to investigate the matter and fish out those behind the assassination attempt on his life and entire household.

While commending the prompt response of the Police to the distress call and their demonstration of professionalism in the encounter with the heavily armed assassins, the PDP Media Aide sympathizes 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.

He 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.

Signed:

Jerry Needam, JP

Special Adviser on Media and Publicity

To the Rivers PDP Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah