Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Abuja/Port Harcourt, Nigeria — The Nigeria Police Force has arrested a Port Harcourt-based medical doctor and pastor in connection with an alleged plot to assassinate Chief Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and has launched a nationwide manhunt for a former Secretary to the Rivers State Government (SSG) believed to be linked to the plot. The development comes amid a protracted political dispute in Rivers State that continues to draw national attention.
According to multiple security sources, operatives from the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) apprehended Dr. Tombari Joseph Gbeneol, a medical doctor and founder of Life Forte Chapel Church in Port Harcourt, following what was described as a “high-risk intelligence intercept” involving a telephone conversation believed to implicate him in plans to target the FCT Minister.
Security officials say the arrest stemmed from the interception of a call between Gbeneol and Dr. Tammy Danagogo, the immediate past Secretary to the Rivers State Government. The conversation reportedly contained discussions allegedly outlining proposals to recruit foreign nationals — specifically cited as Israeli nationals — to carry out the assassination. It was also reported that the two men discussed approaching Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara for financial support to execute the alleged plan.
Senior security sources told journalists that the content of the intercepted call was considered a grave national security threat, prompting swift intervention by the IRT. “The intelligence was considered grave. It posed a direct threat to a serving minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” a source said, adding that this assessment triggered the immediate response that led to Gbeneol’s arrest.
Dr. Gbeneol has reportedly been in police custody for approximately two weeks, and investigators are currently interrogating him as part of an expanding probe into the alleged conspiracy. The police confirmed the detention but have not disclosed further specifics about the charges or the evidence being examined. Force Public Relations Officer Benjamin Hundeyin stated only that “he is in our custody. Investigation is ongoing,” while declining to provide additional details.
Meanwhile, security agencies have issued a nationwide alert for Dr. Tammy Danagogo, who is believed to have gone underground since the incident came to light. Efforts to locate and apprehend him are understood to be a priority for investigators, who are also seeking to identify other potential collaborators linked to the alleged plot.
The alleged assassination plan has added a new and serious security dimension to the already tense political landscape in Rivers State, where longstanding rivalries between supporters of Minister Wike and Governor Fubara have periodically sparked conflict and public controversy. Analysts say the situation highlights how political disputes in Nigeria’s oil-rich states can sometimes intersect with broader concerns about security and stability.
Local reactions have been mixed, with some community members expressing shock at the severity of the allegations and others urging restraint until investigations are concluded. Calls have also been made for transparency from both the police and political actors, given the potential national security implications of the case.
The Nigeria Police Force has emphasised that it is treating the matter with utmost seriousness and assured the public that the investigation will be thorough. Authorities have reiterated that all suspects will be accorded due process under the law as the probe into the alleged conspiracy continues to develop.
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