WIKE VOWS TO PROTECT RIVERS STATE FROM ANNEXATION BY IPOB

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo wike has described the allegation that he ordered the Nigerian Army to kill Igbos in Oyigbo Local Govrnment Area, as a politically motivated falsehood.

Governor Wike who gave the explanation on a live Television Programme in Port Harcourt on Monday 2nd November, maintained that curfew was imposed on Oyigbo to restore calm after members of the proscribed indigenous People Organization of Biafra, IPOB killed six soldiers, four policemen and destroyed all police stations and court buildings in the area.

He said the propaganda that Igbos were being killed by the military was intended to shift attention from the despicable activities of IPOB in Oyigbo, which is a boundary area adjoining Abia State.

The Governor bemoaned IPOB’s effrontery to rename a local government in the State and hoist it’s flag in a public school in Komkom Town, noting that he will not fold his arms and watch criminals destroy the state.

Governor Wike who stated that the State Government had no regret against it’s stand on IPOB, already designated as a terrorist organization by the Federal Government, pointed out that even the south-East Governors have never supported IPOB and wondered why a Governor from the Niger Delta should tolerate the group. He revealed that security agencies during their search of some residents in Oyigbo, saw shrines with IPOB flags and Nnamdi Kanu’s picture, maintaining that if IPOB is allowed to operate from Oyigbo, they will soon overrun the state.

The Governor said the government had commenced moves to replace all the property destroyed by the group during the protest, regretting the the damage have left huge financial burden on the state.

He stated that the State government had decided to compensate each family of the killed security personnel with Twenty Million Naira to cater for the welfare of the bereaved widows and their children.