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RIVERS State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, on Thursday led
thousands of the people to the streets to protest the alleged killings
by the police and other security agencies during the December 10 rerun
elections.
The governor and other protesters had taken off from the
Government House, Port Harcourt at 8am and marched through Azikiwe
Street and Bank Road before stopping at the Rivers State Police Command
headquarters on Moscow Road.
Wike had waited patiently for about 30 minutes before the
Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Cyril Okoro came out and spoke
through the gate.
The governor, who later addressed the police, explained that
the people of Rivers State were at the Police Command to inform the
authorities that they were tired of the killings of innocent people in
the state by the police and other security operatives.
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He pointed out that the people and state government were
dissatisfied with the recklessness of two Senior Policemen, the
Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Steven Hasso,
and the Commander of Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Mr Akin Fakorede.
According to him, the officers led the “sponsored onslaught”
against the people of Rivers State and compromised the security
architecture of the state.
“On behalf of the Rivers State Government and the
good people of the state, we have to let the police know that enough is
enough.
“We demand that the Assistant Commissioner of Police in
charge of Operations, Steven Hasso and the Commander of Special
Anti-Robbery Squad, Akin Fakorede, must leave the state.
“Since you don’t want to protect the state and you want to
be politicians, you have gotten the votes you want to get, you have also
gotten the seats you want to get; you can now leave the state.
“If they don’t leave the state, then we will do all we can
to ensure they leave this state. They must leave this state. They have
killed innocent people.
“We have come here peacefully, communicate this to your
superiors in Abuja. I cannot write again since I have done that
repeatedly. Please, I don’t want my people to die anymore,” Wike said.
The governor stated that the Police High Command had refused
to act despite the overwhelming evidence against the duo, especially
the video footage that showed Akin Fakorede and other security
operatives trying to snatch results of the Rivers East Senatorial
District.
Wike described a situation, where security officials had transformed into politicians in uniform as unfortunate.
Reacting, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Cyril
Okoro, assured the governor that the Rivers State Police Command would
pass his message to the Police High Command for necessary action.
However, at the main entrance to the State Police Command,
the policemen inside the command did not open the gate for the governor
and other protesters.
Among those who accompanied the governor to the State Police
Command were the State Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo;
Speaker, State House of Assembly, Dabo Adams; ex-minister of Transport,
Dr Abiye Sekibo; former UBA chairman, Chief Ferdinand Alabrabra;
ex-state deputy governor, Tele Ikuru; and Rivers State PDP Chairman,
Chief Felix Obuah.
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PLEASE BE POLITE