The Special Adviser to the Rivers State Governor on Media and Publicity, Opunabo Inko-Tariah, on Thursday, escaped death after he was attacked by gunmen suspected to be hired assassins.

The unidentified gunmen shot several times at his vehicle, a Ford Escape.

It was gathered that the incident happened on the Israel Ama Bridge in Buguma, Asari-Toru Local Government Area, at about 8pm as the gunmen were said to have shot at the back seat ostensibly with the belief that Inko-Tariah was sitting in the ‘owner’s’ position.

Fortunately, Inko-Tariah who was on the driver’s seat when the incident happened, was not seen by his assailants as a result of the vehicle’s tinted glasses.

The bullets, according to an eyewitness, had pierced through the tinted glass from the back to the other side of the vehicle, smashing one of the windows in the process.

Narrating his ordeal, Inko-Tariah said he was urged not to stop by his police escort, even as the assailants continued to rain bullets on the back of the vehicle.


Inko-Tariah disclosed that his police escort, who was by his side at the front of the vehicle, immediately opened the front door and shot sporadically to scare the bandits away.

It was learnt that an ex-aide to former governor Peter Odili, Chief Diamond Tobi-West, was also attacked at the same spot penultimate week.

“I am still shocked over what happened. I was completely confused. The police escort told me not to stop the car and that I should continue to move on. It was God that saved my life.

“They (gunmen) thought I was at the back of the car and that was why they targeted that point. With the tinted glasses, they had concluded that I was probably in the owner’s seat and they riddled the back seat with bullets.

“It was a close shave with death and I thank God for His divine intervention. I am a simple man; I don’t owe anybody and I am not covetous. So, why would somebody want to take my life?” a visibly shaken Inko-Tariah said.

He stated that he was on his way back to Port Harcourt after travelling to Boguma to resolve a land dispute.

On whether the attack was politically motivated, the governor’s aide said, “I am not ruling out anything and I am suspecting everything.”

Inko-Tariah, however, disclosed that he had since reported the matter to the state police command with hope that investigation would unmask those behind the attempt on his life.

Contacted, the State Assistant Police Public Relations Office, Grace Iringe-Koko, said she had not been briefed on the matter and promised to speak immediately she got the details.
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