Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike of
Rivers State has declared that the state government will not tolerate any
attack on other Nigerians living in the state by members of the Indigenous
Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) or any other group.
The governor also declared that
Rivers State belongs to all those who live in it, saying that the state
heartily welcomes any Nigerian who resides in the state and carries our his/her
lawful businesses.
Governor Wike further condemned
the alleged deliberate sabotage of the state’s security architecture by the
direct criminal activities of the Rivers State Special Anti-robbery Squad
(SARS).
In a state broadcast on the state
security situation on Friday, Governor Wike said:
“The Rivers State Government is
seriously concerned with the recent activities of the Indigenous Peoples of
Biafra (IPOB), particularly the attack on Nigerian citizens living in Rivers
State.
“Rivers people fully subscribe to
Nigeria’s corporate existence and its indivisibility. As a people we shall
continue to support the unity and peaceful co-existence of all ethnic
nationalities and work towards actualizing our collective aspirations for a
just, inclusive and progressive nation.
“Rivers State belongs to all
those who live in it. We heartily welcome any Nigerian who wishes to reside
here and go about with his or her lawful businesses. Therefore, we shall not
tolerate any attack by any group on other Nigerians living in Oyigbo or any
other part of the State. We warn troublemakers those who are bent on causing
violence on others to steer clear of Rivers territory.
”Nobody should take our
hospitality and peaceful disposition for weakness, as we are capable of dealing
decisively with any situation threatens peace and serenity in the State.”
The governor added: “We call on
Rivers people to be vigilant and not to allow themselves to be used by anybody
to foment trouble in our State.
“Do not hesitate to report any
suspicious character or movements around your vicinity to the law enforcement
agencies for immediate action.
“In as much as we may share
common concerns about the structural problems of the country, we believe that
dialogue, not violence, remains the best way to resolve contending political
issues. We therefore pray the Federal Government to initiate meaningful
national dialogue to peacefully resolve the structural challenges that are
threatening Nigeria’s stability and progress.
“In the same vein, we urge the
security agencies to exercise maximum restraint and conform to international
rules of engagement and best practice while responding to provocative acts from
ill-advised groups”.
On the alleged criminal
activities of Rivers SARS, Governor Wike claimed that for several months the
state government has been receiving reports from traumatised victims who had
been robbed of their valuables by suspected SARS Operatives under the guise of
conducting searches.
According to Governor Wike: “They
employ several malevolent methods, including planting illicit drugs on their
unsuspecting victims as bargaining chip or forcefully taking them to ATM boots
to collect specified amount of money as ransom for their freedom.
“Furthermore, while the
noticeable increase of kidnapping incidents along the East-West road and the
Owerri-Port Harcourt road are worrisome, some of the rescued victims have
reportedly pointed SARS operatives as the ones that are responsible for most of
kidnappings along those roads.
“Although the veracity of these
allegations can only be fully established through an independent probe, the recent
killing of a SARS operative while carrying out a kidnap operation by the
Inspector General of Police’s Special Squad clearly lends credence to SARS
direct involvement in criminal activities across the State.”
The governor reassured Rivers
people of the commitment of his administration to work together with the
security agencies and the police to guarantee the safety and security of lives
and property across the state, despite the deliberate obstacles from SARS.
He called on members of the
general public to be vigilant and always be ready to protect themselves from
the criminal machinations of SARS in Rivers State.
Recall that the Inspector General
of Police Ibrahim Idris had described the allegation by Governor Nyesom Wike
against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad as “nonsense”.
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