Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
The allegation by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike that most of the kidnapping and armed robbery taking place in the state are perpetrated by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) is already eliciting negative reactions.
The governor had stated that the embattled Rivers State Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) Commander, Mr Akin Fakorede and his operatives have been indicted by an official Police Signal, which indicated that they are responsible for the series of kidnapping and deadly robbery across the state.
The Governor who addressed journalists on Wednesday at the Government House Port Harcourt, stated that the SARS Commander was planted in the state to sabotage the security architecture of the state and create an atmosphere of fear.
The governor said that criminal activities of Mr Fakorede were uncovered by the Inspector General of Police X Squad Abuja deployed to the state after the squad busted the attempted kidnap of one Mr Azumana Ifeanyi on September 11, 2017 at the GRA, Port Harcourt.
The Official Police Signal with the title: “Police Wireless Message ” and Reference Number DT0: 121030/09/2017 —INGENPOL-X-FHQ ABUJA TO-INGENPOL SEC ABUJA, noted that the squad received a distress call on the kidnap of Mr Ifeanyi and immediately swung into action. According to the signal, they met the three SARS operatives robbing and a gun duel ensued. The operatives had taken Mr Ifeanyi to a Fidelity Bank ATM where they compelled him to withdraw N500,000 as ransom.
One of the SARS Operatives was killed, while Inspector Justice Nyeche who led the IGP team was injured.
Governor Wike said: “Most of the kidnapping and armed robbery taking place in this state are done by men of SARS. They use exhibit vehicles to operate. As the Chief Security Officer of the state, you complain, but they choose to play politics with crime.
“They fight crime in some state, but they refuse to fight crime in Rivers State. We are done with the elections, but they are using SARS to create insecurity in the state.
“As I speak with you, they will deny. But the SARS Operative who was killed was amongst those who raided the Rivers East Senatorial District Collation Centre. This man can be identified in the video as one of those who invaded the collation centre with Fakorede.”
The governor stated that the deliberate acts of violence being perpetrated by the Police have been planned as part of the rigging process for 2019.
“I have never seen a country where they politicise crime. It is very obvious that they want to give the impression that Rivers State is unsafe. They want to instil fear preparatory to declaring during the elections that there are so much killing”, he said.
He added: “Authorities deliberately trying to destroy a whole state and you want the people to be happy. I will no longer write. Now is the time to take my case to the public, for the whole world to know what is happening “.
The governor said that his administration has invested more than any other in security logistics, yet the Police work against the state.
The embattled Rivers State SARs Commander, Mr Akin Fakorede has having a running battle with Governor Wike as was allegedly caught on video of invasion of the Rivers East Senatorial District Collation Centre on December 12, 2016, which Police denied as bunkum.
However,in swift reaction to the allegation, Chinzi Enyi,a Lawyer, President of Non-Governmental Organisation known as The Iniative of Tansperancy and Good Leadership said the Governor has not provided enough evidence to corroborate his allegation. He, therefore, called on Police in state not to be deterred by the discouaging remarks of the Governor but do their job of protecting livs and properties in the state.
“It is very unfortunate that instead of the Governor commending the O.C. SARS , Akin Fakorede, he is always painting him black in the eyes of the public. I think Akin Fakorede is one man who has distinguished himself as a professional Police Officer.What happened at Orazi was as a result of Armed robbers attacking men of the Nigerian Police Force attached to SARS leading to death of one of SARS operatives.
He also observed that.”The governor Wike never deemed it necessary to condemn the killing of Police Officers by Armed Robbers. Instead of commending officers and aporeciating their efforts. Look at the incidents that just happened in Oyigbo and what is consistently happening in Omoku Governor Wike never issued a press statement condemning the burning of a Mosque in Oyigbo neither has he made any statement on the death and kidnapping that has been happennig in Emohua and Ahoada.”