RIVERS STATE CRISIS: Chidi Lloyd Charged With Attempted Murder By Police

The police have filed a six-count charge of attempted murder against the Rivers State House of Assembly majority leader, Chief Chidi Lloyd. The charges were filed at the state High Court, on Monday, though yet to be assigned to any judge for hearing. Chief Lloyd was moved from Force Crime Investigations Department (FCID), Abuja, on Friday to Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, in preparation for his arraignment.


Force spokesman, Frank Mba, who confirmed that the charges had been filed against the majority leader on Monday, said the police would go ahead to prove its case against him. According to Mba, the six-count charge bordered on conspiracy, attempted murder, causing bodily harm and act intended to cause grievous
harm.

Mba added that all the charges were filed under the Rivers State Criminal Code. When asked by the Nigerian Tribune on the alleged high handedness of the police, as reported by the media, Mba refuted the allegations, saying they were false and baseless.

According to him, detectives from the IGP’s office were polite, civil and professional in dealing with Chief Lloyd, when he was being interrogated at the Force Headquarters.

“Lloyd was interrogated in a friendly and cordial atmosphere and I don’t know why people should insinuate what is not and what never existed,” he said.

Mba added that detectives handling the case were meticulous and professional, adding that it was untrue that the police tortured the detained legislator.

“I want to say that our handling of the investigation involving Lloyd has been as professional as possible. We have done everything humanly possible to ensure that the lawmaker’s rights are respected.

“It is not true that he is being manhandled. It is not true that he was tear-gassed and it is also not true that he was moved from the airport to the state command headquarters in a black Maria.

“As a matter of fact, we used an armoured personnel carrier to move him from the airport to the command headquarters. And the reasons are obvious, because of the peculiar nature of Rivers State politics,” he said.

Mba added that the police took precautionary measure to ensure the safety of Lloyd by moving him in an armoured personnel carrier from the airport to the state police headquarters, adding that the police had enough men on the ground to escort the motorcade carrying the house leader from the airport to state police command headquarters.

“I can also assure that it is not true that Chidi Lloyd is having any health issue. He is doing very well,” he said.