People's
Democratic Party chieftain, governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has
expressed his commitment to the unity of Nigeria which has been
disturbed by the activities of separatists in recent times.
Nyesom Wike
The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has called on members
of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra to stop the attacking Nigerians
from other parts of the country in the state.
Wike maintained that the state belonged to all and would not
tolerate a situation where IPOB members would attack citizens from other
parts of Nigeria.
Speaking during a state-wide broadcast on Friday, the governor
explained that Rivers believe in the corporate existence of Nigeria.
He 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 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, 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
that threatens peace and serenity in the state. We call on Rivers people
to be vigilant and not to allow themselves to be used by anybody to
foment trouble in our State.”
Wike, however, urged residents of the state not hesitate to report
any suspicious character or movement within their vicinity to security
agencies, promising that every situation would be dealt with.
He appealed to security agents to exercise restraint and conform
with the rules of engagement while responding to provocative acts.
“In as much as we may share common concerns about the
structural problems of the country, we believe that dialogue and
non-violence remain the best ways 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 obey international rules of engagement and best
practice while responding to provocative acts from ill-advised groups,” the governor stressed.
Wike further claimed that the Special Anti-Robbery Squad was always
planting hard drugs on innocent citizens with the aim of incriminating
them and added that for several months, the state government had been
receiving reports from traumatised victims robbed of their valuables by
SARS operatives under the guise of conducting searches.
“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 expressed his administration’s commitment to work
together with security agencies, including the police with a view to
guaranteeing the safety of lives and property across the state despite
the deliberate obstacles from SARS operatives.
No comments:
Post a Comment