Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Rivers State Police Command has vowed to bring the perpetrators of the ambush and death of Mr. Gibson Reuben, a Dutch expatriate and Managing Director of the Rivers State Cassava Project Limited, to justice.
In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer in Rivers State, Grace Iringe-Koko, the command disclosed that Reuben’s vehicle, a white Toyota Hilux, was ambushed around 8:30pm on Monday at Aleto Eleme Bridge by unknown gunmen, causing it to plunge into the river.
Iringe-Koko said although the mobile police officers escorting the victim escaped unhurt, Reuben and the vehicle remained submerged.
A search operation led by the Marine Unit recovered Reuben’s lifeless body and the vehicle on Tuesday.
Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, Olugbenga Adepoju, who visited the scene with senior officers, condemned the attack as “barbaric and unacceptable.”
“This is a heinous act that will not go unpunished. We have launched a full-scale investigation and will ensure the culprits face justice. I call on the people of Rivers State to provide credible information that will aid our efforts,” the statement quoted Adepoju as saying.
The statement also described the incident as a “tragic and disturbing situation,” reassuring the public of the Police command’s commitment to addressing security concerns in the state.
The police further urged residents of Rivers State to cooperate by sharing information that could lead to the apprehension of the attackers, as concerns grow over the safety of expatriates and other high-profile individuals in the State.
