The individual responsible for the June 25 dynamite explosion at the government-owned Hotel Presidential in Port Harcourt had been on the police’s wanted list before the incident.
The explosion, which occurred during a protest concerning the tenure of local government chairpersons, took place near the hotel, sending shockwaves through the city.
In a statement issued on Sunday, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, the spokesperson for the police command, confirmed that the suspect, Preye Josiah, had been under police surveillance even before the attack.
She further explained that after detonating the explosives and sustaining injuries in the blast, Josiah sought medical attention. Hospital staff recognized him and subsequently alerted the authorities.
“Josiah, 40, from the Kabiama community of Sagbama Local Government Area, detonated the IED along the Port Harcourt–Aba Expressway.
“He was immediately arrested after the explosion and is receiving treatment for serious injuries,” she said.
Ms Iringe-Koko accused Mr Josiah of involvement in multiple armed robberies in Rivers from 2012 to 2016, including high-profile bank heists led by another suspect, Daniel Gogo, alias ‘Full Payment’.
“Previously evasive, Josiah has been identified as the dynamite detonating expert of the robbery gang and is a member of the Vikings Confraternity. He has confessed to detonating the dynamite at the Port Harcourt–Aba Expressway,” she added.
She said police detectives were actively pursuing leads to identify Mr Josiah’s accomplices and sponsors behind the explosion.
In a related development, the police disclosed details regarding the August 5 bombing of the Action Peoples Party (APP) secretariat in GRA Phase II, Port Harcourt.
Ms Iringe-Koko reported that two men planted and detonated the IED around 1:00 a.m. that day.
“Investigation revealed that the suspects exited a car, walked to the building, ignited the device, and threw it at the secretariate before driving off. Our Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) squad later identified a crater in front of the building where the device was placed, causing shockwaves and damaging the building,” she explained.
She said no casualties were reported, and samples of the IED residue have been collected for forensic analysis.
Iringe-Koko stated that the command has intensified its efforts to apprehend those responsible for the attack.
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