….Wike announces arrest of 2 IPOB chieftains in Oyigbo
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has redeemed his pledge of N20 million each family of the 10 security personnel allegedly killed by members of proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB) in Oyigbo Local Government.
Governor Wike had on Wednesday last week during a condolence visit to the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan, announced the donation of N20million to each family of the four policemen and six Army killed by IPOB members in Oyigbo.
The cheques were presented to the bereaved widows at the State Police Command and 6 Division, Nigerian Army, in Port Harcourt, respectively on Tuesday.
Governor Wike said the gesture is in fulfillment of his earlier promise to alleviate the plight of the widows and their children.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Wennike Danagogo, the governor described the murder of the security personnel by IPOB members as unacceptable and should be condemned by every right-thinking Nigerians.
Governor Wike told the Commissioner of Police that Government will not tolerate any terrorist group like IPOB in the state or allow them to kill any innocent citizen, particularly policemen and soldiers who are defending and protecting citizens of the state.
“As a Governor who matches his words with action, he has sent us to come and redeem that promise and to present the cheques of 20 Million each to the widows of the four police officers killed by IPOB.”
Governor Wike assured the State Commissioner of Police that the State will always stand with the Police to fight crime.
In his response, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joseph Mukan, on behalf of the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu thanked Governor Wike for fulfilling his promise.
He said the Police have recovered some arms and arrested some persons who have made confessional statements.
According to him, 22 persons have been charged to court.
Similarly, at the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Governor Wike commiserated with the Nigerian Army, the widows and families of the 6 soldiers killed by IPOB.
He said Rivers State Government will ensure that the criminal elements who killed the soldiers and cart away their arms and ammunition are arrested and prosecuted.
The Governor made a pronouncement that he will give a token sum of 20 Million to each of the widows of the slain soldiers. So, we are here to fulfil that promise to give cheques to the widows so that they can be able to survive in the absence of their breadwinners” he said.
In his remarks, the General Officer Commanding 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Major General Orlu Irefin expressed the gratitude on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Yusuf Buratai and the entire Nigerian Army to the Rivers State Governor for the kind gesture to the widows of the slain soldiers.
He dispelled news in social media on the activities of the Army in Oyigbo, emphasizing that action of the Army in the area is within the ambit of the law and rules of engagement.
Danagogo was accompanied by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim and Commissioner for Social Welfare, Mrs. Inime Aguma.
ALSO, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, says two kingpins of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) involved in the killing of six soldiers and four policemen in Oyigbo, have been arrested by security operatives.
He has also maintained that the imposition of curfew in Oyigbo Local Government Area helped to prevent an outbreak of inter-ethnic war between Igbo and Hausa communities in the area.
The Governor stated this when Rotary District 9141 Governor, Mrs Virginia Major led a delegation of Rotarians on a courtesy visit at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
He revealed that security operatives in late hours of yesterday arrested two prominent members of IPOB in Oyigbo.
Governor Wike explained that Rivers State was peaceful during the EndSARS protest, until criminals, under the guise of IPOB attempted to paint the State black by killing ten security agents in Oyigbo.
He noted that while Rivers State has been home to every ethnic and religious groups, some misguided IPOB members, had taken this for granted by unleashing mayhem in Oyigbo and even attempted to cause inter-ethnic war.
“If we did not take the steps we took by imposing curfew in Oyigbo, today, it would have been the Hausa and Igbo that will have been fighting and nobody knows what level it would have taken today” he said.
The Governor said though he has had frosty relationship with Nigerian Army and the Police, he will, however, never tolerate the killing of any solider or police in the State.
“I will not support criminality. I won’t because the soldiers don’t like me, then you go and kill them. And then, I will come out and clap, thank you for killing the soldiers. Thank you for killing the police” he said.
He urged those spreading falsehood that Igbo people are being killed and punished in Oyigbo to be dispassionate when acts of criminality are committed. According to him, if IPOB members did not kill people and destroyed properties, Government will have had any justification to declare curfew in the council.
“No government will wake up in the morning to impose hardship on its people. No government will do that, but government has the right to protect life” he said.
Governor Wike lauded Rotary International for collaborating with government to Kick out polio in Nigeria. He assured the Rotarians that his administration will sustain the campaign against polio because no governor will be happy to hear about fresh outbreak of polio in any part of the country.
District 9141 Governor, Virginia Major, lauded Governor Wike for the manner he handled the well intentioned EndSARS protect, which was almost hijacked by miscreants.
She noted that while the world was facing COVID-19 pandemic of unimaginable proportions, Governor Wike and his colleagues and the Federal Government did not relent in their collective efforts to support polio immunisation at all levels.
“This led to the ultimate certification of Nigeria and by extension, Africa as free of the wild polio virus on August 2,2020 by the World Health Organisation, WHO” she said.
He urged the Governor to use his position to support all the renewed efforts of Government, Rotary and all its strategic partners in their quest for sustained surveillance, awareness, immunisation and of course, keeping polio at zero.
