•Chief Nyesom Wike Photo: Sun News Publishing

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The Chief of Staff to Rivers State governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, on Sunday evening narrowly escaped being killed when gunmen sprayed his vehicle with bullets.

The incident, which took place at 8pm, left the driver of the chief of staff critically injured. Wike, however, miraculously escaped unhurt.

Daily Sun learnt that Wike was returning from a social outing to his official residence at the old GRA when the incident occurred.
Eyewitness said that gunmen, who were in another unmarked jeep, had overtaken the Toyota Prado jeep the chief of staff was riding in and riddled it with bullet.

Thinking that their target had been hit, they drove on. However, Wike’s driver was able to bring the vehicle to a stop. Immediately, members of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) were contacted and the team, led by the Brigade Commander and Chairman of the task force, Brig Gen. Yarkin Bello, rushed to the scene.

The team was joined by the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Felix Ogbaudu and the Rivers State Director of the State Security Services.
The jeep was later driven to the police headquarters, while the driver, who was hit by bullets, was rushed to the hospital.

Sources said that he was responding to treatment and may be flown abroad for more medical attention.
Spokesman of the Joint Task Force, Major Sagir Musa, who confirmed the incident, said that the security chiefs in the state had taken steps to fish out the culprits and prevent a future occurrence.

Musa said that no arrest had been made so far but that high level investigation had begun to get to the root of the matter, promising that those behind it would be picked up in a matter of days.
Gloom pervaded the Government House when Daily Sun visited on Monday, with the attack as the topic of discussion among the staff at the seat of power.
Wike was the immediate past chairman of Obio/Akpor LGA and a die-hard Amaechi supporter.