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Tag: Wike

  • Wike orders banks, others to observe today, tomorrow as public holidays

    Wike orders banks, others to observe today, tomorrow as public holidays

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike yesterday declared today and tomorrow work-free days “to enable workers from the public and private sectors fully participate in the re-run elections and exercise their franchise”. He also ordered that “private offices, including banks, must remain closed for the duration of the holiday”.

     Wike, in a state broadcast, said the security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had promised to be fair to all.

    He said: “ Let me warn that political party leaders and candidates must come to terms with the fact that elections are not and must not be turned into a do-or-die affair, just as no political ambition warrants any person, no mater his position, to threaten the peace of the state by inciting and making unguarded statements in their desperation to win the re-run elections for their parties and candidates.

    “As the Chief Security Officer of the state and chairman of the State’s Security Council, I assure everyone of us of our security and safety before, during and after the re-run elections. The Nigerian Police and other security agencies have put adequate measures to keep the peace and ensure an orderly conduct of the re-run elections throughout the state.

    “ I have also received assurances from the Armed Forces that they will not deviate from their constitutional role of safeguarding law and order before, during and after the re-run elections and I am satisfied with this assurance and believe that it would not be broken.”

    On potential flashpoints, Wike said: “ However, in line with the ongoing security operations to rid the state of cult-induced violence and criminality, I have requested the armed forces to increase security surveillance around some identified flashpoints of cultism and banditry in Abua/Odual, Andoni, Akuku Toru, Ahoada-East, Ahoada-West, Emohua, Ikwerre, Opobo/Nkoro, and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Areas of the State.”

    He urged voters “to be accredited, peacefully cast your vote and, wait at a reasonable distance as allowed by law until the results are counted, announced and documented”, adding that: “ Do not submit to any intimidation by those who seek to scare you away from voting with the military. Take note that no person is allowed to go to the voting areas with uniform security personnel or thugs.

  • Amaechi: Wike hiding wanted militants, cultists in Govt House

    Amaechi: Wike hiding wanted militants, cultists in Govt House

    •‘Amaechi ran failed, dizzyingly-corrupt govt’

    Minister of Transportation and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has accused Governor Nyesom Wike of hiding wanted militants and cultists in the Government House.

    Amaechi spoke yesterday on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme. He alleged that the 23 caretaker committee chairmen were known militants.

    The former governor, who said his relationship with Wike, his Chief of Staff between 2007 and 2011, became sour because of violence and corruption by his successor, predicted that Saturday’s legislative rerun would be peaceful in view of the assurances given by security agencies.

    His words: “Wike is protecting killers; all his caretaker chairmen are known militants. The police recovered arms and ammunition from the home of Soboma Jackrich (chairman of Asari-Toru Council) and Jackrich is now living in the Government House.

    “Wike must stop supporting violence by not encouraging the criminals, especially cultists and militants. Wike must allow persons who break the law to be punished. My relationship with Wike became sour, as my Chief of Staff, because of his violence and corruption.

    “If a governor wines and dines with cultists and militants, he will embolden the criminals. As Rivers governor, I never sat down with cultists and militants. I did not support the Federal Government’s amnesty offer to repentant militants because you do not compensate criminals.

    “Chief Godspower Ake (former Rivers State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party) begged me to manage Wike as my Chief of Staff so people won’t notice there was a problem. Chuma Chinye (ex-Commissioner for Commerce and Industry) begged me to recommend Wike for a ministerial appointment in 2011. I accepted so as not to appear stubborn and that’s the worse decision I have made in my life.”

    The minister lamented that the people were helpless in view of the deteriorating security, even as he accused governor Wike of failing to protect lives and property, which he swore on oath to do.

    Amaechi maintained that cultism could never be attributed to members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), whom he described as God-fearing, insisting that only APC members were being killed. He challenged Wike to show Nigerians any PDP member killed.

    He also denied harassing a policemen and his claim was corroborated by the police spokesman, Muhammad Ahmad.

    Ahmad said: The attention of Rivers State Police Command has been drawn to the news making the  rounds that Chibuike R. Amaechi, the Minister of Transportation, on March 12, along Port Harcourt-Omagwa Road, arrested and manhandled a policeman.

    “The command wishes to state that the story is untrue and the act did not happen.”

    But governor Wike, in his reaction through the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Dr. Austin Tam-George, alleged that Amaechi ran a failed and dizzyingly-corrupt government for eight years.

    His words: “Amaechi has been indicted for stealing public fund by a court-approved Judicial Commission of Inquiry in Rivers State.

    “His antics are a diversionary campaign to evade justice, through the rigging of the rerun legislative polls this weekend, but he will be defeated and brought to account.”

    Wike said Amaechi was fighting for his “political life right now”, saying he understood his deadly desperation.

  • Wike: PDP will defeat APC

    Wike: PDP will defeat APC

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, yesterday, said the people would defeat the “illegal rigging army imported by ex-Governor  Rotimi  Amaechi”.

    Addressing  the people of Rivers South East  at the  grand finale of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Rally  in  Bori,  Wike said  the All Progressives Congress (APC) was relying  on  soldiers  to win the rerun.

    Wike said: “Why are leaders of the APC running away from election after their victory at the tribunal?  They have refused to campaign.  All they do is to boast that they will flood the state with soldiers, who will rig the elections.

    “We have a mass movement of Rivers people, who represent an army of voters.  They will subdue the rigging army imported by Amaechi.”

    The governor assured the people of Rivers South East  that he would build critical roads, hospitals and schools next month.

    Wike urged the people to vote PDP candidates to entrench development without distraction.

    PDP’s Deputy National Chairman  Prince Uche Secondus said PDP  had been  winning  all rerun  elections  because  Nigerians  were tired of suffering  under the  APC .

    Ex-Minister of Trade and Investment Chief Kenneth Kobani warned that no soldier would be allowed to rig elections in the area, no matter the intimidation.

  • Wike, Peterside draw battleline ahead of March 19 rerun in Rivers

    Wike, Peterside draw battleline ahead of March 19 rerun in Rivers

    Wike, Peterside draw battleline ahead of March 19 rerun in Rivers ria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), to join his administration to develop the state. He also lauded the standard bearer of the APC in the state for approaching the judiciary, rather than resorting to violence or selfhelp. In obeying the judgments of the courts, INEC fixed February 6 for the legislative rerun in Rivers State, to be held for 22 of 32 state House of Assembly, 12 of 13 House of Representatives and the three Senatorial seats, but later shifted it to March 19, to avoid any hitch. State constituencies where election will not hold are Abua/Odual, Ahoada West, Etche One, Khana One, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Ogu/Bolo, Okrika, Oyigbo, Port Harcourt One and Three. Ahoada West/Ogba/Egbema/ Ndoni federal constituency is also not affected by the rerun. A total of 2,148,289 voters are expected to vote in the rerun, with only those that were registered before last year’s March 28 and April 11 general elections to be eligible to vote, while 6,806 card readers will be deployed, despite the controversy surrounding the Supreme Court judgment. Rivers new Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Aniedi Ikoiwak, who was moved from Delta State, promised that the rerun in the state would be free, fair and credible, as earlier assured by INEC’s Chairman, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu. But as the rerun date draws nearer, violence attacks by suspected cult gangs have increased in the state. A chieftain of the APC, Franklin Obi, was killed and beheaded by masked gunmen, who also killed his wife and 18-year-old son, Bestman. Until his gruesome murder at his residence on Rutachi Street, Omoku, Franklin Obi was the APC’s Chairman of Ward Four in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA, the same ward with Rivers Chairman of the PDP (Chief Felix Obuah), who also hails from Omoku, the headquarters of the LGA. The gunmen, who were said to have disappeared into the dark of the night after carrying out their dastardly act, also went away with the head of Franklin. In Omoku last month, no fewer than 25 persons were killed, with many of them beheaded and their heads taken away (See Pages 13-16 for details of the killings in the state). Reacting to the killing, Rivers APC, through its Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone, said: “The killing of our Franklin Obi on Saturday night is shocking, to say the least. It goes to support what we long knew that the PDP members have been responsible for all the killings in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA of Rivers State. “Make your own deductions, late Franklin Obi was the APC’s Ward 4 Chairman. He managed and moderated the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA APC’s meeting last Thursday in Omoku and by Saturday, he was killed and beheaded, while the wife and son were also killed. “The PDP’s Rivers State Chairman, Felix Obuah, comes from same Ward 4. Intelligent Nigerians should kindly make their deductions.” But, while reacting to the incident, the Rivers chairman of the PDP expressed shock and said he was saddened by the reckless killings in the state, especially in his hometown, describing the barbaric acts as condemnable and unacceptable. Obuah described the resurgence of killings in the state as abominable and sheer madness, wondering why all the entreaties by Wike to all the warring youths were being ignored. He urged the police to beef up security in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA and other parts of the state, as well as to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous acts and bring them to justice. He also admonished the police to step up their intelligence gathering in order to prevent further attacks and killings of Rivers people. “My heart goes out to those that lost their lives and loved ones,” Obuah said, and urged politicians to join hands with the state governor to keep the state peaceful and secure from the hands of criminals. The Rivers Chairman of the PDP assured that the party would continue to preach against violence and criminality in the state and would not support evil in whatever guise. The Rivers Commissioner of Police, Musa Kimo, while describing the violence as “very sad”, expressed sadness that the gunmen were seen in the neighbourhood before they carried out their evil act, but failed to report to the police. “I am here in Omoku this time on a sad note. It is sad in the sense that we are all bereaved. The governor (Nyesom Wike of the PDP), I and other security officers were in Omoku two weeks ago in search of peace. Unfortunately, violence has continued to pervade, dovetailing into kidnappings and murders. “I am here to commiserate with the deceased family and to re-strategise and put pungent security measures in place in order to forestall future occurrence,” Kimo said, while also assuring that the police were not relenting in ensuring that the persons behind the dastardly act were arrested and prosecuted. The APC has insisted that over 60 members of the party had been killed in different parts of the state in the last one month. Security agencies recently raided the home of jackrich, a PDP member in Buguma, with arms, ammunition and many Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) recovered, but the militant leader is being shielded from arrest and prosecution by top people in government, according to the Rivers chairman of the APC. Meanwhile, the Rivers commissioner of police, during a news conference at the police headquarters on Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday, disclosed that two suspects were being held for the killings in the state in the last one week. The police boss revealed that one Anthony Ugo was arrested for beheading Franklin Obi and the murder of his wife and son in Omoku, while Ndubisi Tochi was picked for clubbing and burning Ofinjite Amachree in Buguma. He condemned the renewed “senseless” killings in the state and vowed to ensure that the perpetrators were prosecuted. The two suspects, according to Kimo, were still being interrogated, hoping that they would assist in apprehending the rest of their gang and sponsors. “We must realise that violence is never and will never be a solution. While investigation is on, let me inform you that the command will bring to book the perpetrators of not only these killings, but similar incidents. “Let me plead for the support and cooperation of the public, by way of information to enable us to protect lives and property. Rest assured that any information volunteered will remain confidential. “It is also pertinent to inform you that I have placed all officers and men of the command on alert, to allay the fears of the public and to nip in the bud any security breach. Any peace-loving person is enjoined to go about his lawful business, without any fear of molestation.” Dr Peterside also expressed displeasure that the state had again been turned to a killing field, thereby urgently needing help. He decried the ongoing mass execution in Rivers State, describing it as frightening and unprecedented. The pathetic security situation in Rivers, according to Dr. Peterside, was unfortunately a direct affront on the Federal Government’s power to protect lives and property within its territory. The APC’s governorship candidate said: “The security situation in our dear Rivers State is distressing and we cannot continue to live under such a desperate situation. I am therefore using this opportunity to again draw the attention of the world to the daily killings taking place in Rivers State. “In the last two weeks, over 30 APC members have been killed in different parts of Rivers State. We are tired of this bloodbath. That is why we are calling on the Federal Government and Nigerians generally to come to our aid.   “As citizens of Rivers State, we know that this heart-rending situation is a fall-out of the loss of moral right by the Nyesom Wike-led government to fight criminality, having benefitted from their activities in the recent past, but these killings must stop and the time is now.”  The Rivers APC also stated that the killing of members of the party was part of the scare tactics of the PDP ahead of the March 19 legislative rerun. It noted that Wike had earlier stated that if the Court of Appeal’s annulment of his election was upheld by the apex court, so many people would have died in the state. Rivers APC said: “We are rather surprised that even with the affirmation of his (Wike’s) election by the Supreme Court, many people are already being killed by the PDP in Rivers State, because of the state and national legislative rerun elections scheduled for March 19.” But Governor Wike has in turn accused the leaders of the APC of planning to win the March 19 legislative rerun in the state at all costs, saying it is in order to impeach him. Wike, on March 5, as guest on a phone-in programme, Viewpoint, on Rhythm 93.7 FM, Port Harcourt, owned by a chieftain of the PDP, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, of the Commonsense Revolution, also alleged that APC leaders were chronic liars and mere propagandists. Wike said: “APC leaders are boasting that they will win at all costs, the Rivers House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senatorial elections, through the use of the military, police and Department of State Services (DSS). “APC candidates want to win all the Rivers House of Assembly seats, so as to impeach me. They want to get me out at all costs and they expect me to fold my arms. Nobody will be allowed to rig the elections. It will not happen. The political intimidation must stop. “The March 19 elections will be a test of democracy in Nigeria. We will confirm if the noise made by APC members that they won last year’s polls is true or not, especially their clamour for free, fair and credible elections.” The Rivers governor also insisted that he and members of his team had been putting in their best to transform and move the state forward, promising not to disappoint the people of the state.

  • Supreme Court win: Wike angry as report raises fresh posers

    Supreme Court win: Wike angry as report raises fresh posers

    A row broke out yesterday on the Supreme Court judgment affirming the election of Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike.

    An online media, Sahara Reporters, raised posers on the verdict, a development Wike has condemned.

    The report reads: “At a special thanksgiving to celebrate the decision of the Supreme Court, Governor Wike told the congregation that Dr. Peter Odili was his adviser during the legal battle.

    “Wike’s words have provoked questions on what kind of advice Odili, a doctor, could be offering in purely a legal matter that was before the apex court. Was Odili getting vital tips that swung the case in Wike’s favour from his wife, who is in the Supreme Court? Who were the people Odili told Wike to see when the matter was before the Supreme Court? Questions have continued to swirl around the role played by Justice Mary Odili. A source familiar with the matter said suspicions of underhand dealings are strengthened by Wike’s meeting with Justice Ngwuta at a funeral service organised by the Odilis.

    “Could it be that attending the service and meeting with Justice Ngwuta was one of the pieces of advice the Odilis gave to Wike?”

    The report added: “On the issue of violence, legal analysts are wont to refer to an earlier Supreme Court judgment on the relocation of the election tribunal from Port Harcourt to Abuja. The Supreme Court had ruled in favour of moving the tribunal to Abuja because there was violence before, during and after the elections in Rivers State.

    “But in a curious twist, the same court, in the governorship election judgment, said the APC and its candidate, Peterside, did not provide evidence of violence in Rivers State.”

    Wike, in statements by Commissioner for Information Austin Tam-George and Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, condemned the report.

    Tam-George said: “We deny and reject the allegation that Governor Wike or anyone acting on his behalf had any contact whatsoever with the justices of the Supreme Court.

    “Were the favourable verdicts by the apex court for Akwa Ibom State, Abia State, Taraba State, etc, also hatched in Mbaise? Or were those plots orchestrated in the neighbouring community of Mbaitoli?

    “How come the Odilis were unable to influence the apex court’s decision to relocate the sitting of the Election Petition Tribunal from Port Harcourt to Abuja, despite the strong arguments canvassed by Governor Wike’s legal team?”

    Nwakaudu’s statement reads: “The report by Sahara Reporters is false.  It is not true that Nyesom Ezenwo Wike met with any of the Supreme Court Justices to influence the  panel that upheld the governor’s election.

    “Sahara Reporters and their co-travellers will not inform the public that Justice John Okoro, Justice Igbuta and Justice Mary Odili  were on the panel that dismissed Governor Wike’s appeal on the territorial jurisdiction of the Rivers State Election Petition Tribunal.  When the judgment of the Supreme Court favoured the APC, Sahara Reporters and their co-travellers did not raise any questions.

    “Aside Rivers State, the Supreme Court also upheld the governorship elections in Abia, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Oyo, Kaduna,  Plateau,  Kebbi,  Zamfara, Taraba, Ebonyi, Ogun, Gombe, Yobe and  Delta states  on the same legal principles.  Was Sahara Reporters expecting the Supreme Court to apply different legal principles in deciding the case of Rivers State?”

  • Wike plans to manipulate rerun, Rivers APC alleges

    Wike plans to manipulate rerun, Rivers APC alleges

    The Rivers State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Davies Ikanya, has alleged that Governor Nyesom Wike is putting pressure on the state’s judges to truncate democracy, ahead of the March 19 rerun.

    The APC chairman told a news conference at the state secretariat in Port Harcourt that Wike and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members were planning a Black Day Procession at Bori-Ogoni on last week’s military operation.

    Ikanya described the procession as shameful, alleging that the Black Day would confirm that Wike and the PDP sponsor cultism, criminality and terrorism in the state.

    He alleged that Wike refused to hand over to the police, a former militant “General” Soboma Jackrich aka Egberipapa, the caretaker chairman of Asari-Toru council, after police raided his house in Buguma and recovered arms and ammunition.

    The APC chairman stressed that the governor refused to hand over to the police Charles Ejima Igwedibia, alias Donwani.

    He alleged that last week’s burning of the senatorial Liaison Office of the APC’s candidate for Rivers Southeast, Senator Magnus Abe, was planned and executed by Wike, to stop him “by all means” from winning the rerun of March 19.

    The APC chieftain expressed surprise that a notorious ex-militant leader, Solomon Ndigbara, aka Osama bin Laden, an indigene of Yeghe-Ogoni in Gokana, who was declared wanted by the 2 Brigade for gun-running, met Wike in Government House and both visited Bori-Ogoni.

    The APC chairman said: “With the elections a few days away, Nyesom Wike and his Attorney-General, Emma Aguma, have dragged the state Judiciary, headed by Justice Adama Iyayi-Lamikanra, into it, with a view to use the judiciary to disqualifyAPC candidates.

    “Our candidates for the House of Assembly elections: Chidi Lloyd of Emohua  and Leo Anyanwu of Omuma, have been sued at the Port Harcourt High Court, in which Chinwe Aguma and Co., the law firm belonging to the attorney-general filed the action, claiming that they be disqualified from the elections.

    “Their ground is that the primaries of the APC, held since December 2014 and on which they conducted the April 11, 2015, election that was voided by the Court of Appeal, are suddenly not valid.

    “Wike and his attorney-general have now approached the Judiciary to sit on appeal against the decisions of the Court of Appeal, which ordered the rerun. Three judges refused to handle the matter and returned the case files.”

    “They have continued shopping with huge cash inducement for a ready and ethically-challenged judge, who will accept the brief and disqualify Lloyd and Anyanwu before the rerun to pave the way for a cheap PDP victory.”

    Ikanya also said he had it on good authority that there would be other suits against APC candidates for disqualification on the same dubious grounds of not giving 21 days notice to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), before the APC primaries.

    Commissioner for Information and Communications Dr. Austin Tam-George  did not respond to the allegations when contacted.

    The governor, while addressing residents at Etche and Chokocho, yesterday, after inspecting work on the Igwuruta-Chokocho-Etche Road, claimed that APC’s plot to rig Rivers rerun would fail.

    Wike said APC’s candidates were not campaigning, allegedly in view of  its plot to rig the elections.

    He claimed that Rivers people were determined  never to return to the days of mischievous and unproductive leadership.

  • Wike alleges plot to influence returning officers in rerun

    Wike alleges plot to influence returning officers in rerun

    • Governor making false allegations, says Dewari George

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of preparing a list of compromised Returning officers to help it win  the legislative rerun on March 19.

    He said the list contains names of lecturers from the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT).

    Wike made the allegation when UNIPORT Vice Chancellor  Prof. Ndowa Lale visited him yesterday.

    He named an APC chieftain, who is also the House of Representatives candidate for Akuku-Toru/Asari-Toru, Dr. Dawari George, as being behind the list.

    George yesterday denied the allegation, saying the governor was out to malign him. He challenged Wike to publish the list.

    He described the allegation as unfortunate and threatened to take action after he had completed investigation.

    Wike said he notified the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the alleged plot.

    “The vice chancellor signed without knowing the list of Returning officers was hijacked by the APC through Dr Otu Ekpeyong, who was guided by Dr George, the APC candidate for Akuku-Toru/Asari Toru.

    “I am saying this publicly because we want the world to know the desperation of the APC.  The fraudulent list of Returning officers for the rerun has been intercepted and we have written to the national chairman of INEC.”

    George said:  “It is unfortunate this kind of thing can come from a governor. I am not an INEC staff. I do not know how and where they recruit their ad hoc staff. I have not done what he has accused me of.”

  • ‘Supreme Court win: Wike must speak’

    ‘Supreme Court win: Wike must speak’

    •Rivers APC says governor should tell the truth
    •Nine killed in three Rivers local govts

    The Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked Governor Nyesom Wike to tell the truth about his January 27 Supreme Court win.

    It urged the people to ignore campaigns by Wike, under the guise of thanksgiving, to mark his victory, but should ask him to explain how he won at the apex court.

    Rivers APC, through its Chairman, Chief Davies Ikanya, in a statement yesterday in Port Harcourt, insisted that the governor refused to address key issues he raised in his confessions.

    Wike, speaking on Saturday at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium (formerly Liberation Stadium), Port Harcourt, at a thanksgiving by the state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said only political robbers would kick against credible elections, saing he stands for free and fair polls.

    He claimed that last week’s military operation in Ogoni was due to desperation for power.

    APC said: “Nyesom Wike told the world, while speaking on television that he got his victory at the Supreme Court, because Dr. Peter Odili (ex-governor) directed him on who to meet and what to do. Let Wike explain to the world who and who Dr. Peter Odili directed him to meet, when and where the former governor directed him to go.

    “We know that the matter before the Supreme Court was legal and not medical, how come it was Dr. Peter Odili, a medical doctor, who would direct Wike on a purely legal matter? Surely, Nyesom Wike has not said all that happened.

    “It has become more curious to most people that Wike acknowledged that his Supreme Court victory was a result of the advice he got from Dr. Odili, hence the need for the governor to tell Rivers people and Nigerians the nature of the advice, especially those the former governor directed him to meet.”

    APC condemned Governor Wike’s attempt to politicise the crisis in Ogoniland for his political benefit.

    It said: “It took Wike over two weeks to visit Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government where 26 persons were killed, with most victims beheaded. He has neither spoken nor visited Ahoada East, where scores were also horrendously killed and still being killed.

    “At his thanksgiving on Saturday, he (Wike) only asked the audience to observe a minute silence for victims of the Bori crisis, which he engineered with his war cry that the Ogoni must stop Senator Magnus Abe (APC’s candidate for Rivers Southeast Senatorial March 19 rerun). Were those killed in ONELGA and Ahoada East not Rivers people? It shows that he (Wike) is behind the Ogoni crisis.

    “Just this (Sunday) morning, less than 24 hours after Wike’s thanksgiving, nine persons were reported killed. Four persons were killed each in Ahoada East and Unyangala in Andoni, while one person was killed in Ikwerre, bringing the dead to nine.”

    Rivers APC added: “The Army and other security agencies should ignore the media propaganda Wike is unleashing at them, using faceless groups and persons and come to the rescue of innocent Rivers people, who are now being killed like chickens by cult groups sponsored by PDP leaders in Rivers State.

    “The spate of killings in Rivers State today has a direct correlation with the franchised killing groups Nyesom Wike entered into alliance with to enable him become Governor of Rivers State. He compensated some of the criminal gang leaders with State Assembly tickets and Local Government Caretaker positions, but their foot soldiers are left to cater for themselves and that is why they have turned the guns they were given on innocent people. Gov. Wike has a number of options such as taking back the arms he gave them and rehabilitating them, especially now that innocent people are being made victims.”

  • Ogoni crisis: Residents condemn Wike over ‘one-sided’ visit to affected communities

    •Blame politicians for killings –Group

    Residents of Rivers State have condemned Governor Nyesom Wike for failing to visit the burnt senatorial office of Magnus Abe during his visit to Yeghe and other communities affected by the recent crisis in Ogoni land.

    The people urged the governor to show concern to all the people affected by the crisis.

    It will be recalled that Governor Wike, along with the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Musa Kimo, visited Yeghe and other communities in Bori and Mortuaries, but failed to visit Magnus Abe’s office.

    In a statement by Simeon Nwakaudu, Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor on Electronic Media, the governor accused some politicians of deliberately instigating crisis in the state to create room for the evil declaration of state of emergency.

    Some residents, who spoke to The Nation, said the governor should have used his visit to make peace and calm down the youths of the area by visiting all the victims of the crisis.

    Mr. Paul Onyedi, a business man, said he was unhappy that the governor visited Ogoni as a politician, and not as the governor of the state.

    “What happened has happened, but the kind of statement credited to the governor of Rivers State would only worsen the situation in  Ogoni. I was expecting him to visit the place and also try to visit the burnt office of Magnus Abe. But he went there as a party man, not as the governor of Rivers State.”

    Chief Akwubi Mathew, a community leader, said, “The only way out is to forget about politics for now. The killing that took place in Ogoni was between armed militants and the military. And for now, we don’t know who is responsible for the killing, but let there be peace.”

    Mrs. Rita Ndabari, said it was important that the governor visited the communities and promised to pay compensations to the victims, but regretted that the governor failed to visit affected persons who are not members of his party.

    Also speaking, the National Coordinator of Ogoni Solidarity Forum, Celestine AkpoBari, said his group condemned the killing in Ogoni land, and blamed the state of insecurity in the area on politicians, who he said distributed arms to jobless youths during the 2015 election.

    AkpoBari said: “We condemn the killing of innocent Ogoni people. We condemn the attack on Magnus Abe. But you must know that the insecurity in Ogoni today was because of the arms distributed to some youths during the 2015 election by some politicians for the purpose of smuggling themselves into the corridor of power,” he alleged

  • Wike: I wasn’t aware of Ogoni operation

    Wike: I wasn’t aware of Ogoni operation

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has said military operations in the state must have his approval.

      The governor also said those who killed innocent Ogoni people and residents would be punished.

    Wike, who spoke during a visit to Ogoniland yesterday, said military authorities must subject itself  to civil authority. He added that as chief security officer, he was not informed of  the operation leading to loss of lives of  Ogoni residents .

    He accused some politicians of instigating crisis in the state to create room for the declaration  of a  state of  emergency  .

    The governor, who led the Commissioner of Police, Mr Musa Kimo and top police officers to Yeghe in Gokana Local Government and Bori, said: “The Rivers State government will take up this unfortunate incident with the appropriate  authorities. The military  must subject  itself  to  civil authority. I am the chief security officer of this state. Before any deployment  of  soldiers,  I should  be  informed, but in this case I was not aware.

    “I will always  support  security  agencies  in the fight against  criminals and criminality,  but  I  will never support  the killing of  innocent persons. That is why I am here today for an on-the-spot assessment. I have seen for myself the destruction  in Yeghe and the  killings that took place. I went to the  mortuaries to see the bodies, and their relatives confirmed they were killed in the operation.

    “I have  told security  agencies to  be careful  so they are not misled by politicians. As your governor, I have  never  used soldiers because I don’t need them. When I see people not in government moving around with soldiers, I am surprised.  If you  are  popular  with your people, you have no reason  to  move with  soldiers.

    “Those who masterminded  these killings will face justice. They are busy causing crisis  because of their evil plans to cause emergency rule to be declared  in the state.  Since they failed in my case, they will fail in others because God is greater than them.”

     Wike noted that he had always advised the military  to arrest criminals and hand them over to the police in line with  the  rules of engagement  and not to take actions that would harm innocent  citizens.

    He denied ever making inflammatory statements, saying he only campaigned for his party.

    A statement by his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, quoted Wike as urging those who fled their homes to return as his administration had taken measures restore sanity.