Rivers crisis: “Chidi Lloyd is going blind” – Pro-Amaechi lawmakers

by Chi Ibe

Chidi-Lloyd- Photo: The Citizen
Chidi-Lloyd- Photo: The Citizen

The legal team of the detained Majority Leader of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Chidi Lloyd who claimed their client was undergoing torture in police custody have come out to say he is now going blind.

The Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, Leyii Kwanee, said yesterday in Port Harcourt on behalf of the 27 lawmakers loyal to Governor Rotimi Amaechi, that Lloyd’s health was deteriorating and he needs medical attention.

The 27 lawmakers include; Golden Ngozi Chioma, Innocent Barikor, Josiah John Olu, Ibiso Nwuche, Belema Okpokiri, Legbosi Nwidadah, Andrew Anderson Miller, Augustine Ngo, Ben Horsfall, Okechukwu Nwaogu, Victor Amadi, Azubike Chikere Wanjoku and Victoria Nyeche.

Others were Benibo Anabraba, Irene Inimgba, Felicia Barizasi-Tane, Aye Atamah Pepple, Onari Brown, Gift Wokocha, Ewor Nname Robinson, Lucky Odili, Chigbo Eligwe, Leyii Kwanee, Ikwunyi Igbani, Tonye Harry and Otelemaba Amachree.

According to their reports, Lloyd was taken from the Police Officers’ Mess, Old Government Reservation Area (GRA), Port Harcourt, where he was detained on Friday, to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID where he is prohibited from receiving visitors and has got no medical help.

[READ: Rivers crisis: Counsel claims Majority Leader, Chidi Lloyd was blindfolded, tortured ]

The 27 lawmakers reportedly said: “We need to ensure that democracy is respected in Rivers State. Hon. Chidi Lloyd reported himself to the Force Headquarters, Abuja on Tuesday. He was flown into Port Harcourt on Friday. We thought he would be charged to court that day.

“As I speak with you now, he is being held up at the State CID by the same police authorities under the leadership of Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu.

“Hon. Chidi Lloyd was blindfolded, tortured and teargas was sprayed all over him. We have been refused access to him. We have just been informed that Hon. Chidi Lloyd is going blind, occasioned by the teargas that was sprayed all over him, particularly in his eyes. Medical help has also been refused him.

“Today (yesterday), the 27 pro-Amaechi lawmakers have met in all the churches. We have been praying, seeking God’s intervention. We all know that Nigerians are prayerful people. We are also not losing sight of the fact that Nigeria is a signatory to a lot of conventions and treaties bordering on human rights.

“We are assembling a team of lawyers, who will look at the possibility of putting together all the human rights abuses that have been inflicted on Hon. Chidi Lloyd, the leader of the 7th Assembly, with a view that if justice cannot be got on the shores of Nigeria, human rights transcend borders.

“We may seek justice to ensure that Hon. Chidi Lloyd’s rights are protected and his cause is also ventilated, probably in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), if it comes to that. The Speaker will also draw the attention of the Commonwealth to the ugly development.”

“Is Mbu aware of Chidi Lloyd’s medical history? This calculated poisoning of Chidi Lloyd reminds us of the assumed circumstances leading to the death of our one-time Senate President Dr. Chuba Okadigbo.

“Why the blindfold? He is only alleged to have committed an offence. He is not a terrorist nor an armed robber; neither is he a kidnapper. He is a representative of Emohua Constituency of Ikwerre ethnic nationality at the Rivers State House of Assembly and a legal practitioner, who will stand for truth and justice, even when the truth is too much for those bent on destroying our hard-earned democracy, with unnecessary impunity.

“Why the handcuffs, when he submitted himself to the police?”

The pro-Amaechi lawmakers also stated that they were “genuinely” anxious over the life of Lloyd, whose whereabouts they claimed remained unknown but they described the commissioner of police as a “major” problem in the deepening political crisis, insisting that the decision of the National Assembly to advise that he be redeployed should be heeded, the Citizens report.

 

Comments (7)

  1. y d torture,y d blindfolding after all Llyod reported himself to the police .y not allow him to b tried in court,y not allow the law to take its course.this crises is far beyond what Nigerians think.THERE ARE SOME UNTOLD SECRET ABOUT THIS CRISES’

  2. If he likes, let him go deaf and dumb, those pple are not worth being our leaders.

  3. If Lloyd was so honourable, y would he beat a fellow lawmaker to coma? If d 26 pro-amechi Lawmakers have not had access to see him,then how do they know he was tortured?

  4. this lawmakers are not even ashamed to call loyd Honourable. Hmm. To me, weather he submited himsef o, or they arested him, justce is justice… If they (the law makers) care about loyds health that is only detained, what about their felow law maker that is in detention?. Has any of them visited him? They are here talking about averting justice. Anyway they are not even relevant as far as am concern because their honourable is withdrawn from them untill the national assebmly investigation brings solution.i dont hate any of them neither do i knw any but am from Rivers n it hurts me to see our leaders fight as aluu4 phenomenon that hapened in my school.

  5. Our leaders are sleeping,I wonder when thry will wake up. Hmmm!!!!!

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