• Super Admin
• 06 Mar, 2026

Amaechi, a former Minister of Transportation, made the call on Friday after armed men reportedly ambushed his convoy along the Ubima-Omuanwa road while he was travelling to his hometown to complete his electronic registration as a member of the ADC. Former transportation minister and former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has urged security agencies to track down and prosecute gunmen who attacked his convoy and burned the ward office of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Ubima community, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State. Amaechi, a former Minister of Transportation, made the call on Friday after armed men reportedly ambushed his convoy along the Ubima-Omuanwa road while he was travelling to his hometown to complete his electronic registration as a member of the ADC. It was gathered that suspected thugs had earlier mounted a roadblock on routes leading into Ubima, turning back vehicles believed to be conveying ADC members and supporters who were heading to the community for the exercise. The attackers were also said to have set fire to the ADC ward office in Ubima on Thursday night, hours before the former minister's visit, according to PUNCH. The armed men reportedly stormed the area with sophisticated weapons and fired several gunshots into the air, while the gate of Amaechi's family residence was reportedly riddled with bullets during the incident. Despite the tension, Amaechi eventually arrived in the community around midday on Friday. However, the armed group allegedly attempted to block his convoy from entering the town before security operatives attached to him confronted them. It was reported that the attackers fled into nearby bushes after the security personnel responded with superior firepower. Addressing a crowd of party supporters who had gathered for the e-registration exercise, Amaechi appealed for calm and urged members of the party to avoid retaliation. He commended the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, the Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for their swift response following the attack. "I will thank the commissioner of police and the director of DSS. They showed a lot of professionalism immediately I made contact with them," Amaechi was quoted as saying. "In fact, I wasn't expecting that kind of cooperation. I thought they would be behind these criminals and not render support. But all of us will agree that the police came out, the NSCDC came out, DSS came out. "So we are grateful to them. I'm grateful to them, especially those of them who are here." Amaechi, who inspected the burnt party office during his visit, insisted that the security agencies must ensure that those responsible for the attack are identified and prosecuted. "But they must also know that this cannot continue. The way they will show us that this cannot continue is that they must prosecute those who are involved in this crime," he added. He also urged the Rivers State government to strengthen security across the state to prevent a breakdown of law and order. He warned that failure to adequately protect lives and property could push residents to resort to self-help. "I have been a governor, and I know the consequences of not protecting the lives of people. The people will begin to protect their lives by themselves because they don't want to die," he said. Amaechi also used the occasion to encourage ADC members in the state to intensify mobilisation efforts ahead of future elections, stating that the party's long-term ambition was to capture power at the federal level. "We are marching to Aso Rock. What they are doing is a distraction," he said. "We are hungry. If you are not hungry, tell them I am hungry. People are dropping dead every day because of hunger. And there are a few people who are stealing our money, and they say we should keep quiet." He urged party supporters to register in large numbers, saying it would strengthen the party's chances during elections. "ADC Rivers State, you must register en masse. You must make sure that we have enough members to surprise them. On election day, they will know whether we will vote or not." Meanwhile, when the Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, was contacted for comments on the incident, she said she would obtain details of the incident and revert. However, as of the time of filing this report, the police spokesperson has not provided an update on the incident. Source: https://saharareporters.com/2026/03/06/gunmen-attack-rotimi-amaechis-convoy-burn-adc-office-rivers-community-ex-minister