ABUJA — Indications emerged, yesterday, that leader of Rivers State House of Assembly, Chidi Lloyd, reported to Police headquarters in Abuja for interrogation because his attempt to flee the country through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos was foiled.
Lloyd reported to the police six days after he was summoned.
These details emerged as Vanguard gathered that the House leader may be arraigned for attempted murder among other charges, following the severity of attacks perpetrated on his injured House of Assembly colleague.
Lloyd allegedly the arrow-head of the team that battered a member of the Assembly as seen on television during the fracas in the house, was said to have travelled to Lagos after the IG’s summons, preparatory to jetting out of the country.
Police, however, got wind of the plan to escape through the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos and issued an alert both to the Airport Police Commissioner and border patrol teams, to arrest him if he showed up at any of the outposts.
Vanguard was told that the House leader got wind of the alert to arrest him at the airport or border and decided to report to the Force headquarters for interrogation.
The Police issued a release disclosing that Mr Chidi Lloyd, who reported on Tuesday, July 23, 2013, at Force Headquarters, was being interrogated in connection with the Rivers House of Assembly crisis.
The statement signed by CSP Frank Mba, Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, reads: “The House Leader of Rivers State House of Assembly, Chidi Llyod, on Tuesday reported at Force Headquarters, Abuja, in response to a summon earlier issued by the police.
“The Hon member who arrived Force headquarters at about 4 pm, in company of his lawyers, is currently helping Police investigators to unravel circumstances surrounding the crisis that occurred in the House of Assembly.
“The lawmaker has commendably so far, shown a high level of cooperation with police detectives.
Meanwhile, his interrogation is still ongoing.”
The statement recalled that the force had on July 17, 2013, summoned Llyod and two others to report to the Force CID to explain their roles in the current crisis in Rivers House of Assembly, especially, as shown in some video footages by the media.
It also stated the IG’s commendation of the people of Rivers State for the prevailing peace in the state, while assuring Nigerians that the police would do everything within its powers to ensure that justice was not only done but manifestly seen to be done.
According to the statement, the IG promised a quick, fair and unbiased investigation of the crisis.
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