Security operatives attached to Nyesom Wike, Governor of Rivers State and those of Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transportation, clashed in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital on Saturday.

The altercation was said to have occurred while Wike was on an inspection tour of some ongoing projects in the capital city.

Describing the incident, Wike’s Simeon Nwakaudu, Special Assistant on Electronic Media, said it was a deliberate assassination attempt on the Governor.

Nwakaudu said the attack was led by Amaechi’s Aide-De-Camp and the Rivers State commander of the Special Anti-robbery Squad of the Nigerian police.

“The SARS personnel and soldiers in the minister’s convoy mowed down the governor’s escort rider and attacked the policemen in the pilot car,” Nwakaudu alleged in a statement he issued late on Saturday.

“Mr. Seimeikumo Debewari, Aide – De- Camp to the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi , supervised the attack , which led to the damage of cameras held by journalists.

“Mr. Debewari is the same police officer who assaulted members of the Rivers State House of Assembly in the fracas of 2014.

“Also, the Commander of Rivers SARS, Mr. Akin Fakorede, who received the minister of transportation at the Port Harcourt International Airport and accompanied him on his trip, took part in the attack.

“The minister of transportation had over 50 SARS personnel, soldiers and mobile policemen in his motorcade.

“However, while the SARS officers stepped down to assault the security personnel of the governor, the soldiers remained in their vehicle watching the scene.”

Nwakaudu added that the attack did not deter Wike from continuing with the inspection.

However, Amaechi said it was Wike’s security details that had pulled guns on him and vandalised his car.

According to a statement issued by his Media Office, Amaechi described Wike’s claim of an attempt on his life as a blatant lie.

“In a blatant show of naked raw power, the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi , this afternoon narrowly escaped being shot by security men attached to the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike,” the statement read.

“His car wasn’t that lucky though. The car was vandalized and left with a broken side mirror.

“Accompanied by cars of many of his supporters, the minister’s black SUV was intercepted and blocked at the junction by the security motorcycle outrider attached to Wike after two cars had passed through.

“One of the two cars conveyed security men assigned to protect the minister in Port Harcourt .

“Suddenly, security men attached to Wike’s convoy surrounded the minister’s car, threatening to shoot him.

“They hit the car, tried to smash the windscreens, windows and broke a side mirror.

“All through this attack, Amaechi remained calm inside the fortified vehicle. Wike also stayed inside his vehicle.

“The minister eventually passed through after the intervention of the security team on the ground to protect him in Port Harcourt.

“However, when Governor Wike got to the point where the incident occurred after Amaechi’s vehicle had gone, his security men blocked the road again, and thoroughly beat up a policeman attached to Amaechi in Port Harcourt. The policeman’s rifle was also taken from him.”

But Nnamdi Omoni, the Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed that there was no assassination attempt on anyone, describing the incident as a mere altercation between the security details of Wike and those of Amaechi.

Omoni also said that the State Police Commissioner had ordered that policemen involved in such altercation should be arrested.