Wike Explodes ‘Banditry May Not End Soon’

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, yesterday, declared that the All Progressives Congress (APC) led government has politicised insecurity and plunged the country into unimaginable banditry that may not end anytime soon.

He stated this when the Board of Editors of Independent Newspapers Limited, led by its Managing Director and Editor-In-Chief, Steve Omanufeme, visited Government House, Port Harcourt.

CityNews Nigeria reports that governor Wike said when Rivers State experienced insecurity in 2015, he ran to the Federal Government, but rather than help, his observation was dismissed as mere politics and desire to see the state remain ungovernable.

“They didn’t send special forces to Rivers, as they are doing to other states now. They refused to support me, because they didn’t want the state to be governable.

“But crime knows no boundary. It can be you tomorrow. If they had fought crime seriously and collaborated with all stakeholders, irrespective of political party, we would have achieved better results in the fight banditry.

“Banditry will never end since they’ve politicised security issues. I told them don’t politicise security issues. They’re now paying the price. Whatever people sow, they will reap. If you sow peace you’ll reap peace and if you sow trouble, trouble will always be with you,” he stated.

He said it was difficult to fight crime when cultists are arrested and people go to Abuja to tell the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Chief of Army Staff that those arrested were their boys to secure their release.

On denials trailing the $1b withdrawn from the Excess Crude Account, Wike said it was shameful that a government famed for fighting corruption would allow money and weapons to get missing and unaccounted for.

“Now, the National Security Adviser says the $1b they took from our Excess Crude Account without paying us our 13 per cent derivation is gone. And they said they’ve not seen the weapons.

“As regards this country, we are where we are because of journalists. In 2014, you were bought over to pull down the government of President Goodluck Jonathan.

“I had told Trade Union Congress (TUC) the other day, and asked then where are you that you see things in Nigeria getting worse; insecurity, increase in price of everything and you say nothing.

The governor also wondered how the Federal Government could forget so soon that Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala they are celebrating now as Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) had been accused of running down Nigeria’s economy when they assumed office in 2015.

“It is now obvious that PDP means well for Nigeria because she has been part of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration in the country,” he added.

Responding, Omanufeme said they brought the notification of Award as Governor of the Year, 2020 for Infrastructure Development, adding that the Board of Editors met and affirmed that Governor Wike had been consistent in building roads, youth empowerment and for always speaking truth to power.