Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike has led thousands of the people to the streets to protest the alleged killings by the police and other security agencies, as well as alleged complicity of security agencies during the December 10 rerun elections.
The governor and the protesters took 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 waited patiently for about 30 minutes before the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Cyril Okoro came out and spoke through the gate.
Addressing the Police later, the governor said 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.
He disclosed 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.
He said the two 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 pointed out 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.
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.
Others were the 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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