Rivers Hotel Explosion: Police say suspect on wanted list
The suspect behind the June 25 dynamite explosion at the Rivers-owned Hotel Presidential in Port Harcourt was on the police wanted list.
A dynamite explosion occurred on June 25 near Hotel Presidential in Port Harcourt during a protest over the tenure of the local government chairpersons.
SP Grace Iringe-Koko, the spokesperson for the command, said in a statement on Sunday, “Preye Josiah has been on our wanted list prior to the incident.’
She said that the suspect, after detonating explosives and injuring himself in the blast, went to the hospital for treatment, where medical staff recognised him.
“Josiah, 40, from the Kabiama community of Sagbama Local Government Area, detonated the IED along the Port Harcourt–Aba Expressway.
“He was immediately arrested after the explosion and is receiving treatment for serious injuries,” she said.
Ms Iringe-Koko accused Mr Josiah of involvement in multiple armed robberies in Rivers from 2012 to 2016, including high-profile bank heists led by another suspect, Daniel Gogo, alias ‘Full Payment’.
“Previously evasive, Josiah has been identified as the dynamite detonating expert of the robbery gang and is a member of the Vikings Confraternity. He has confessed to detonating the dynamite at the Port Harcourt–Aba Expressway,” she added.
She said police detectives were actively pursuing leads to identify Mr Josiah’s accomplices and sponsors behind the explosion.
In a related development, the police disclosed details regarding the August 5 bombing of the Action Peoples Party (APP) secretariat in GRA Phase II, Port Harcourt.
Ms Iringe-Koko reported that two men planted and detonated the IED around 1:00 a.m. that day.
“Investigation revealed that the suspects exited a car, walked to the building, ignited the device, and threw it at the secretariate before driving off. Our Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) squad later identified a crater in front of the building where the device was placed, causing shockwaves and damaging the building,” she explained.
She said no casualties were reported, and samples of the IED residue have been collected for forensic analysis.
Ms Iringe-Koko stated that the command has intensified its efforts to apprehend those responsible for the attack.
(NAN)
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette
Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”
Education
Labour unions in Cross River varsity begin warning strike over poor funding, others
The statement said the strike was being embarked upon by workers under the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), SSANU and NAAT in the university.
NationWide
NiMet forecasts three-day thunderstorms, rains from Monday
According to NiMet, thunderstorms are expected over parts of Kebbi, Adamawa, Taraba, Sokoto, Kano, Katsina, Zamfara, and Kaduna States later in the day.
States
Two Lagos estate agents arraigned for N1.5 million fraud
The prosecutor stated that the defendants fraudulently obtained N1.5 million from one Yomi Obafusu in the guise of hiring an unused viewing centre.
Politics
Bayelsa Poll: Supreme Court reserves judgment in Sylva’s appeal
Mr Uche insisted that Mr Sylva’s appeal was bad beyond redemption as no witness or documents supported his request at the court.
Politics
Female lawyers hail Kekere-Ekun’s recommendation as CJN
AWLA has lauded the National Judicial Council on the recommendation of Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the next Chief Justice of Nigeria.
World
UN says 2023 deadliest year for humanitarian workers, warns 2024 could be worse
“As of August 7, 172 aid workers had been killed,” the OCHA said, citing the provisional count from the Aid Worker Security Database.