Peterside escapes death as unknown gunmen shoot orderly

The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, escaped death by the whisker on Sunday when a group of unknown gunmen opened fire on his vehicle.

While Peterside was lucky to have escaped death, his orderly, Emma Esi, was not lucky enough as he was hit by the assailants’ bullet.

It was gathered that Peterside’s vehicle was also conveying the Rivers State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Davies Ikanya, and a former House of Representatives member, Mr. Honorable Asita when the incident happened.

Peterside was said to have been trailed by the gunmen, a development that forced his driver to make a detour to the office of the Department of State Security located on Forces Avenue, Old GRA, Port Harcourt.

The unknown gunmen were said to have fired continuously for about 35 minutes, a development that scared motorists and passersby on the Forces Avenue.

Peterside, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt said, “Two Jeeps belonging to Emeka Woke, Nyesom Wike’s Chief of Staff, carrying two unknown gunmen trailed us to UTC Junction and opened fire on my car. Our car however did a detour to the DSS office gate where we drove to seek refuge but the unknown gunmen opened fire again at the SSS men on guard.

“The exchange of fire between the DSS men and the assailants lasted for more than 30 minutes. This is a very ugly experience but I thank God that my colleagues and I escaped unhurt. Today’s experience is not only terrifying but also shows the parlous state of security in Rivers State.

“If I can be engaged openly by gunmen for nearly an hour in the heart of Port Harcourt, only God knows the fate that will befall members of our party and those sympathetic to our predicament. What is happening today in our dear state is not only horrible, but also constitutes serious national security risk.”

Punch