NRM demands whereabouts, release of River’s chieftain, Jackrich

The leadership of the National Rescue Movement (NRM) has condemned the “unwarranted circumstances” leading to the arrest of their chieftain, High Chief Sobomabo Jackrich, popularly known as Egberipapa, in his residence in Usokun community in Degema LGA of Rivers State.

The National Publicity Secretary of NRM, Mr Sola Afuye, who made the condemnation on Wednesday in Abuja, also demanded the immediate disclosure of his whereabouts and his unconditional release.

He said, “We are scared and worried that one of our own is being subjected to this kind of maltreatment without recourse to his fundamental human rights. The most painful part of this is that the whereabouts of High Chief Sobomabo Jackrich Egberipapa is unknown.

“We, as a political party, are hereby calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to call on the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, and all the security outfits to declare the whereabouts of High Chief Jackrich Egberipapa.

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“We have resolved to be civil in approaching this ugly situation, and also not to politicise the matter at hand, not even when our country is in dear need of peace in resolving the economic downturn.”

The Rivers State Police Command, through its spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, said that later that same Monday, Jackrich, who was a governorship candidate of NRM, was arrested by a sister security agency.

Daily Trust reports that Jackrich was said to have been arrested by gunmen dressed in military uniform after they killed two of his aides in the early hours of Monday.