The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state have disagreed sharply over an alleged attempt by the operatives of the State Security Service to shoot the state governor, Nyesom Wike.

DSS operatives raided the homes of Adeniyi Ademola, the judge handling the trial of Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser (NSA), who is being prosecuted by the agency for alleged illegal possession of firearms and money laundering; Nnamdi Dimgba,  a federal high court judge; Walter Onnoghen, a justice of the supreme court judge; and Sylvester Ngwuta, another supreme court justice.

While attempting to arrest an unnamed judge in the state capital, Portharcourt, Governor Wike was reportedly manhandled by operatives of the SSS and the Police, an aide to the governor said.

Affirming the claims of the governor, the PDP in the state said officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) attempted to shoot Nyesom Wike, governor of the state, when they raided the residence of a federal high court judge on Saturday morning.

For allegedly cocking the gun at Wike during one of the raids, PDP described the operatives as “rogues”, saying their “acts of recklessness” against Rivers state was both an injury to one and an injury to all.

“The attempt by security operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and policemen to shoot the State Governor, Chief Barr Nyesom Wike for intervening in the illegal move to abduct a Federal High Court judge serving in the State in the early hours of Saturday, October 8, 2016, is most sacrilegious,” read a statement issued on behalf of Felix Obuah, state chairman of the party, by Jerry Needam, his spokesman.

“The unruly behaviour of the overzealous security operatives is the worst of its kind in the history of Nigeria and is a cause for concern.

“Though the target is to find reason to declare a state of emergency in the State, Bro Obuah noted, the President, the National Assembly members, Judicial Officers, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and all relevant authorities and stakeholders should be put on notice on these acts of recklessness against Rivers State as injury to one is injury to all.

“There is no doubt that the Rivers State experience is exceptional and the democratic abuse by security agencies and their political paymasters is aimed at testing the mindset of the people and if left to stand will definitely go round and translate into a national malaise.

“It’s unheard of anywhere in the world where legally constituted authorities like the DSS and the Police will break into the residence of a legitimate federal judicial officer of the status of a judge for the purpose of arrest in the wee hours of the day, citing order from above as their reason.

“This is an act of brigandage and roguery, worse still when a serving governor intervened, same security agents cocked their guns against the State Chief Executive/Security Officer in the presence of the State Police Commissioner and Director of DSS. This, though real, is most unbelievable.”

Obuah appealed to Rivers people to remain calm in the face of the “unprovoked attack and siege being perpetuated by those opposed to peace in the state”.

“We are happy and grateful God is on our side,” he said.

“Each time they come up with a new strategy to cause mayhem, they end up hitting the air because even the gods of the land abhor their intentions. Nonetheless, this particular sacrilege of attempting to shoot our governor will never be taken kindly.”

But responding, the state APC described the alleged failed abduction of a Federal High Court Judgeand the attempt on the life of Gov. Wike as false.

In a statement signed by the Publicity Secretary of Rivers State APC, Senibo Chris Finebone said “early this morning, the media space was once again putrefied with a bizarre account by Gov. Nyesom Wike of his encounter with a detachment of security personnel and how he [the governor] was allegedly manhandled.”

The statement reads: “To give the incident more prominence in the media space, the governor, through his media assistant, Simeon Nwakaudu, issued a statement which opened with an assertion that what happened was part of a siege on Rivers State by the Federal Government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Ordinarily, this morning’s macabre dance by Gov. Nyesom Wike should not merit any serious interest from anyone, because everyone has become sick and tired of such from him, but for the innocent people and residents of Rivers State whom he subjects to unbridled lies and misinformation under one phantom excuse or the other.

There is no question that the melodrama is just one of the many chapters in Gov. Wike’s book on political demagoguery. Or how can anyone explain the many obvious inconsistencies that fly in the face of his highly mendacious account to the media this morning?

Indeed, we ask: “How come the governor said he did not know the occupant of the house? How did he find his way to the gate of a house he did not know the occupant? Is the judge of a federal high court under the governor of Rivers State? May be, yes but why? Is the federal high court, its judges and the DSS not belong to the same federal government?

“The APC believes that the governor is once again up to his dishonest self. We do not believe his account. We believe that the bizarre stunt of bravado being peddled by Gov. Wike is just for the purpose of convincing his collaborators in the judiciary in Rivers State that he will always protect them.

“The claim by Gov. Nyesom Wike that his presence at the scene of the incident was to help resist abduction is typically dishonest. He was there to obstruct justice. Simple! And the reason is that crime connects much more than innocence does.

“But how far really can the governor go in shielding his cohorts from the law? Can the governor, for example, appear with those that have been dragged before the National Judicial Council [NJC]? Can he?

“We thank God that Gov. Wike is in a position to tell the story [for whatever it is worth] by himself. If there was a role change in the morning, the security people would not be alive to tell their story now.

“The APC believes that recklessness is a choice which attracts consequences. May be Gov. Nyesom Wike learnt a lesson or two this morning. Please, let him deal with it and stop hawking insinuations or attempt to drag the APC or Mr. President into the matter.”