IPOB members invading Rivers from Abia State, says Wike

Members of Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, alleged to be behind the mayhem in Oyigbo, a community in Rivers State are from Abia State, Governor Nyesom Wike has said.

Wike, spoke when he received members of the Rivers caucus of the National Assembly in Port Harcourt on Friday, according to Kelvin Ebiri, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Media in a statement.

Oyigbo is at the border between Abia and Rivers State.

The Governor told the lawmakers who were on solidarity visit to his office that the Biafran secessionist agitators are capitalising on the nearness of Oyigbo to Abia State to invade the community and unleash violence, resulting in the death of six soldiers and four policemen.

The governor who vowed that IPOB will never be allowed to exist within Rivers State, reiterated that law abiding Igbos and other nationalities shall continue to live and do business in the State unmolested.

He reiterated that if the Federal Government had not politicised security, steps should have been taken to checkmate the notorious activities of the defunct SARS.

He further blamed politicization of security for the reason why the State’s Neighbourhood Watch has not taken off.

The Governor assured the lawmakers that when the State receives the N78billion refund from the Federal Government, the money will be judiciously used for the benefit of the entire State.

Furthermore, Governor Wike declared that he will supervised the employment of 5000 youths into the State Civil Service in order to ensure that no community, ward, Local Government Area was marginalised.

Speaking during the visit, the lawmakers affirmed that Rivers State cannot and will never be annexed by any group, organisaton or person(s) whatsoever and will always remain part of Niger Delta.

Leader of the caucus, Senator George Sekibo, therefore expressed support for measures taken by Governor Wike to rein in members of IPOB.

“We also want to unequivocally state that Rivers State cannot and will never be annexed by any group, organisaton or person(s) whatsoever, as we are Niger Delta people and will always stand for the course of the Niger Delta, her people, dreams and aspirations”, he said while declaring that the lawmakers unconditionally stand with Governor Wike on every actions he has taken to preserve lives and properties of all residents in the State.

Sekibo explained that the caucus had been impressed with efforts and commitment of the governor in the handling of EndSARS protest and the aftermath.

According to him, while the governor had ensured that the protest was peaceful, traducers and enemies of the State masquerading as IPOB decided to cause mayhem; kill innocent residents and even security officers; destroy properties of the State and citizens, especially in Oyigbo, Obio Akpor and Port Harcourt Local Government Areas.

“As a caucus, we want to state our unalloyed support for your re-affirmation of the proscription of the Indigenous Peoples Organization of Biafra (IPOB)in line with the categorisation of the group as a terrorist organisation by the Federal Government”

“We also want to unequivocally state that Rivers State cannot and will never be annexed by any group, organisaton or person(s) whatsoever, as we are Niger Delta people and will always stand for the course of the Niger Delta, her people, dreams and aspirations”, he said.

Sekibo emphasised that if the powers that be had listened when in 2016 the Governor called the attention of the world to the atrocious activities of the default Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SAR) in Rivers State, the nation will not have suffered the colossal loss of lives and properties during and after the protest.