Nigeria: Senator Abe Shot, Two Feared Dead, As Police Disperse Amaechi's Supporters

12 January 2014
This Day (Lagos)
By Ernest Chinwo

Port Harcourt — The political crisis in Rivers state escalated Sunday morning as Chairman of the Senate committee on Petroleum (Downstream), Senator Magnus Abe, was shot as police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse members of Save Rivers Movement (SRM). Unconfirmed reports also said two children who were going to church in company of their mother were chocked to death from an overdose of the tear gas.

Also two buildings locatd opposite Eligbam Junction along Rumuola Road were also burnt. Members of the SRM, a political grouping of supporters of Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chubuike Amaechi, had converged at the College of Arts and Science, Rumuola, preparing for a rally scheduled for noon when the police came to disperse the crowd. The police stormed the venue at about 8.30am and used tear gas freely and barricaded all roads leading to the venue. Churches in the vicinity were also affected as their members scampered to safety.

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