by ‘Jola Sotubo

Controversial Rivers lawmaker, Chidi Lloyd, has been arrested by operatives of the police force in the state.

Hon. Lloyd is still standing trial for his part in last year’s fracas at the State House of Assembly during which he slammed a mace on the head of  Michael Chinda, a fellow lawmaker.

Lloyd is now being accused of willfully causing the death of one Kingsley Ejeuo, said to be his political rival, and a police officer, Sergeant Urang Obadiah.

The legislator was said to have recklessly driven his car which resulted in the victims being mowed down and he was also said to have aroused suspicion when he attempted to escape.

The Nation reports:

According to a statement by police spokesman Ahmad K. Mohammad, Lloyd was arrested on his way to the Air Force base where he was going to escape the arrest in Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s private jet.

Mohammad alleged that the House leader drove his bullet proof vehicle in a reckless manner to kill the two victims at the Emohua on the East-West road on December 30, last year.

He said the police initially thought it was an accident until further investigations proved otherwise.

Lloyd’s lawyer Emenike Ebete could not be reached last night for his reaction.

The police statement reads: “The Rivers State Police Command has arrested Hon. Chidi Llyod of the Rivers State House of Assembly for murder of Police Sgt. Urang Obediah and Mr. Kingsley Ejeuo, his kinsman and arch political opponent.

“He was arrested on his way to join His Excellency Governor Amaechi Rotimi in his private jet at the Air Force base to escape justice.

“Hon. Chidi Lloyd while pursuing his political opponent, Ejeuo, hit and knocked down Sgt. Urang Obadiah, in his (Obadiah’s) effort to stop him (Lloyd).

“He rammed over the Passat car in which Ejeuo was driving, killing him on the spot.

“The Police initially thought it was a mere accident which ought to have been a manslaughter, not until Lloyd relocated from the initial private hospital where he was being treated, after ACP Aliyu Garba by the directives of CP Mbu J. Mbu visited him that the Police began to raise suspicion and went into further investigations on the purported accident.

”Conscious of what he did, Chidi Lloyd relocated to another hospital. It was later that facts emerged that Chidi Lloyd drove a bullet proof vehicle while pursuing his political opponent late Mr. Kingsley Ejeuo and he knocked down the police Sergeant who died on the spot and moved ahead and smashed Ejeuo’s Passat car, killing him also on the spot.

“The late Mr. Kingsley Ejeuo who hailed from the same place with Lloyd was a member of PDP.

“While being guarded by four police in his hospital bed, he sneaked out through the hospital’s back door in three tinted bullet proof jeeps and escaped.” Police claimed.

However, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, Mr. David Iyofor, said last night of the police account of the arrest:

“It is most preposterous and outrageous for the police to say that. Escape to where? Does it make any sense to escape from Port Harcourt to Abuja? Is Abuja not within the Federal Republic of Nigeria? It’s a blatant lie.”