Wednesday 22 January 2014

“It May Be Your Turn Tomorrow” – Embattled Senator Abe Writes David Mark


Embattled Senator representing Rivers South East constituency at the National Assembly, Magnus Abe, has written to his colleagues in the Senate, explaining his ordeal in the hands of the Nigeria Police on the controversial January 12 rally held in Port Harcourt.


Senator Magnus Abe, who was hit with a rubber bullet by the Police during a rally organized by the Save Rivers Movement, SRM, in the missive condemned the continous attack on supporters of Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

Abe who is currently recuperating in a London hospital had in a seven-page letter to the Senate President, David Mark, which he requested should be read to all Senators; accused the police of abuse of power.


The letter reads in full, “It was clear to me that using the police to stop a gathering that had been extensively advertised and was to be aired on live television would be an unfair blow to Rivers people and a clear abuse of police power.

“I decided to reach out to the State commissioner of Police, Mr. Mbu and share my concerns with him. The CP refused to pick my calls. I also tried to call the Inspector General of Police to bring the facts to his attention.”

Continuing, he wrote, “Senator Paulinus Igwe promised to reach the IGP and get back to me. I also spoke with my Chairman, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Security and National Intelligence, Senator Mohammed Magoro and briefed him.

“My Chairman called back to say that he could not reach the IG but that I should call the Director General of the Department of the State Security service (DGSS). The DGSS is one security official in Nigeria who maintains open lines of communication with all Nigerians irrespective of their political lineage.

“I spoke with the DGSS who promised to call the state command to verify the situation. All this occurred on Saturday, the day before the fateful event.”

“At this stage I felt it was necessary to go over to CAS to appeal to the police, and try to establish what was going on, and why such extreme force was needed even before the planned time of the event.

“When I arrived at the gate of CAS, I saw the Nigerian Police in full battle formation with armoured personnel carriers and scores of mobile policemen armed to the teeth.”

“The officers informed me that they were acting on ‘orders from above’ and that I should call the Commissioner of Police or the Inspector General of Police. I was busy trying to call the CP and the IG, when one of the policemen walked close to me and whispered, ‘Oga, leave now, leave now, they said we should take you down."

“At this stage, I became apprehensive and reminded the officers that I am a serving senator in Nigeria. In fact, I went close to the senior officer and said, ‘I am following you and if anything happens to me, it will be in your presence and before God.”

“It was when I was standing with him that the attack began and a teargas canister was shot directly at my feet. He quickly moved away while more teargas canisters were fired directly at me in quick succession. It was at this stage that I was hit by something in my chest. I screamed, ‘I have been shot’ Friends and staff who were with me, realizing what had occurred, rushed me to my vehicle.”

“However the left side of my chest where I was hit was very painful and inflamed. My staff decided that we should rush to the nearest doctor. We were able to reach my doctor, Dr. Mackay Anyanwu, who stabilised me at his clinic and transferred me to the Kesley Harrison Hospital, from where a decision was taken that I proceed to London immediately for further cardiology evaluation.”

“My heart repeatedly fluctuated so much so that it triggered the alarms in the hospital and they decided that I should be moved to the Cardiology Unit at the London Bridge Hospital.
“The consultant cardiologist at the London Bridge Hospital determined that the site of impact on the left side of my chest was directly in line of my heart and there was a risk related to the distribution of kinetic energy from the high velocity impact to my chest.”

“It is the Federal Government that deployed the Police and gave them orders that I should be taken down. I have heard that the Rivers State CP has alleged that the police were chasing criminals on that day and that I was running from the scene and that I ran into the church to evade arrest,” the lawmaker said.

“I have also heard that Mr. Mbu said they have no rubber bullets in the state command. It is clear that Mr. Mbu is talking with the confidence of a Governor General; who knows that nothing will happen, and nothing would have happened even if I were killed.

“The decision to take my life comes from the highest levels of the Federal Government and nobody will be questioned or punished even if I am killed because I am one of those that have stated and I want to repeat here, that I will cross over to APC on the floor of the Senate.”

“It is Senator Abe today. It may be Senator Mark tomorrow,” he wrote.

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