Wike: ‘Police Behind Most Kidnappings, Armed Robbery In Rivers’

Governor Nyesom Wike has restated that most kidnappings and robbery attacks in Rivers State are allegedly being pulled off by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

Addressing newsmen at the State Government House in Port Harcourt, Governor Wike claimed Akin Fakorede, the embattled Rivers SARS Commander, had been indicted in a kidnapping case by a police signal.

The governor, who said this in a statement by his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, claimed Fakorede’s alleged criminal activities were exposed by the “Inspector General of Police X Squad Abuja,” who were recently deployed to the state.

Wike claimed the X Squad had foiled an attempt to kidnap one Azumana Ifeanyi on September 11, by accomplices of the the SARS commander.

The governor based his claim on an official police signal with the title: “Police Wireless Message” with “Reference Number DT0: 121030/09/2017 —INGENPOL-X-FHQ ABUJA TO-INGENPOL SEC ABUJA.”

He said the signal indicated that three SARS operatives engaged in a gun duel with IGP’s X Squad when they were caught at the scene of the kidnap.

“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.”

“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 they are so much killing.

“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,” Wike said.

The WHISTLER recalls that Governor Wike, in August, had similarly accused men of the Nigeria Police of being involved in Kidnappings across the country.