Rivers State Explosion: Suspect Was on Police Wanted List Before Incident
A dynamite explosion occurred on June 25 near Hotel Presidential in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, during a protest by some persons over the tenure of local government chairmen in the state. The suspect behind the explosion, Preye Josiah, was on the police wanted list before the incident.
According to SP Grace Iringe-Koko, the spokesperson of the command, Josiah, 40, from 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.
Iringe-Koko accused Josiah of involvement in multiple armed robberies in the state from 2012 and 2016, including high-profile bank heists led by one Daniel Gogo, alias Full Payment. She also revealed that Josiah was a member of the Vikings Confraternity and had previously evaded police capture.
The police spokesperson said that Josiah confessed to detonating the dynamite at the Port Harcourt-Aba Expressway and is cooperating with investigators. The police are actively pursuing leads to identify his accomplices and sponsors behind the explosion.
In a related development, the police disclosed details regarding the Aug. 5 bombing of the Action Peoples Party (APP) secretariate in GRA Phase II, Port Harcourt. Iringe-Koko reported that two men planted and detonated the IED around 1 a.m. that day, causing shockwaves and damaging the building. No casualties were reported, and samples of the IED residue have been collected for forensic analysis.
The police have intensified their efforts to apprehend those responsible for the attack, and investigations are ongoing to uncover the full extent of the plot.
