Wike leads Rivers people on protest march against alleged police brutality
…demands immediate transfer of Steven Hasso and Akin Fakorede
Apparently dissatisfied with the performance of security operatives in the Saturday December 10 rerun election in Rivers state, Governor Nyesom Wike, Thursday, took to the streets of Port Harcourt, leading thousands of Rivers people on a protest march against the alleged mass killings and brutality by the police and other security agencies during the elections.
The protest march which was peaceful took off from Government House, Port Harcourt, at 8am, through Azikiwe Street and Bank Road and finally terminated at the Rivers State Police Command headquarters on Moscow Road.
The governor was accompanied by his deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, Speaker Dabo Adams, former Minister of Transport, Dr Abiye Sekibo, former UBA Chairman, Chief Ferdinand Alabrabra, former Deputy Governor Tele Ikuru, and Rivers State PDP Chairman, Chief Felix Obuah joined the march. Commissioners, State Legislators, Caretaker Committee Chairmen, women, and youths joined the protest.
On sighting the protesters led the governor, the police men on duty around the gate of the police command, tactically withdrew into the premises, closed their gates and peeped from the iron bars.
The governor and the other protesters, were, however, received by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Cyril Okoro. Addressing the deputy commissioner, Governor Wike said that the people of Rivers State were at the Police Command to inform the authorities that they were tired of the alleged killings of innocent people in the state by the police and other security operatives.
Governor Wike noted that the people and government of the state were particularly dissatisfied with what he described as 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 who, he alleged, 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 ( SARS) 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. I don’t want armed robbers posted as senior police officers to Rivers State,” he said.
He noted that the Police High command has 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.
“The situation where security officials have transformed into politicians in uniform is quite unfortunate,” he concluded.
Responding, the Deputy Commissioner of Police assured the governor that the Rivers State Police Command would pass the message to the Police High Command in Abuja were the matter could be acted upon.
Deputy Governor Ipalibo Harry Banigo, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, Speaker Dabo Adams and Former Minister of Transport, DrAbiye Sekibo with other Rivers people marching to the Rivers State Police Command to protest police brutality and killings in Port Harcourt on Thursday.
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike (r) and the Deputy Commissioner of Rivers State Police Command, Mr Cyril Okoro during the protest march by Rivers people to the Rivers State Police Command to protest police brutality and killings in Port Harcourt on Thursday.
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike (r) and the Deputy Commissioner of Rivers State Police Command, Mr Cyril Okoro during the protest march by Rivers people to the Rivers State Police Command to protest police brutality and killings in Port Harcourt on Thursday.
