CHIEF Albert Horsfall, chairman of a committee set up by the Rivers State Government to drive the ongoing peace process in the state to conclusion has said his committee was not aware of any peace meeting in Buguma where a dreaded militant leader, Sobomabo Jackrich, aka Egberipapa was arrested by men of the Joint Task Force in Rivers State.

According to him, it is "complete nonsense" to say his Rehabilitation Committee, saddled with achieving peace in the state hoodwinked Egberipapa into a meeting at the palace of the Amanyanabo of Kalabari kingdom. He said his committee did not convene any meeting on that day, neither was it aware of any peace meeting in the area.

Horsfall who spoke to Vanguard yesterday on phone from his Lagos abode said his committee had not set up substructures at the moment in any part of the state so the issue of a body working for the committee on the day Egberipapa was arrested would not even arise.

"It is complete nonsense. I was not in Buguma on the day of the arrest. I did not convene any peace meeting on that day in Buguma.

I have been in Lagos since December 24 for Christmas. My committee never convened a peace meeting on that day. Nobody also informed me of a peace meeting that day where he was arrested. I was not aware of any peace committee that sat that day.

My committee was not involved in it."

When asked if his committee has any subcommittee working for it in the state he said there was none at the moment, but that as a body it had initiated peace move in all parts of the state. "My committee is the only officially appointed body to deal with the peace process in the state. We have initiated peace moves in all parts of the state."

Asked to speak on the arrest of Egberipapa, he declined, saying as a lawyer he would like to have the details of the issue before commenting. According to him, he had been in Lagos since December 24. So he would like to have the details before opening up to the press.

It would be recalled that after the constitution of the truth and reconciliation commission headed by Justice Kayode Eso (retired) the government also went ahead to set up a rehabilitation committee headed by Chief Horsfall. The committee is to drive the peace process in the state to conclusion.

Before hanging up yesterday, Chief Horsfall urged the press to assist the peace process in the state work. He said the media should play very active and positive role in this peace drive.

Egberipapa was arrested Sunday night at the palace of the Amanyanabo of Kalabari Kingdom where he had gone in company of Alhaji Asari Dokubo to be part of a healing process in the kingdom. He was later arrested by men of the Joint Task Force that allegedly stormed the place in about five truckloads of armed soldiers.

At the time of this report the spokesman of the Joint Task force in the state, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa said he was still being investigated at the Port Harcourt army barracks.