Wike tackles IGP over withdrawal of security chief
The governor of Rivers state, Chief Nyesom Wike, has challenged the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, over what he called the surreptitious withdrawal of his Chief Security Officer (CSO), which he claimed has exposed his life to danger. Wike bared his mind when he granted audience to the IGP, on Thursday at the Government House, Port Harcourt. He regretted that without consultation, the police helmsman took sides with an overtly Assistant Commissioner of Police , Steven Hasso, who attempted to invade the Government House with All Progressive Congress (APC) supporters.
The governor appealed to the IGP to transfer the ACP Hasso and the Commander of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Akin Fakorede, for deliberately compromising the security of Rivers state because of partisan reasons. The governor said that he was shocked by the inaccurate statement released by the Office of the Inspector General of Police that his Chief Security Officer was withdrawn for misconduct.
He informed the Inspector-General that contrary to his claim that his Chief Security Officer was withdrawn for misconduct, the Chief Security Officer only stopped Steven Hasso and APC hired crowd from invading Government House, Port Harcourt. “The moment you touch my Chief Security Officer, you are telling me that you are ready for me. As I sit here, I am empty, I have no protection. “When people start to embarrass the governor, take his Chief Security Officer without information, it is completely wrong. What you have done is the highest disrespect to the office to the Office of the Governor. “I am pleading with you; my life is very important.
I will not take any Chief Security Officer you bring to me that I don’t know. This is a matter of security and protection, it is not what you do with levity.” The governor warned the Inspector-General of Police against politicizing the security of the rerun elections , because after the election there will still be governance. He told the Police High Command that the people of Rivers State will support an unbiased police force, but warned that the people will resist any attempt to use security agencies for untoward electoral action. He said: “If the police wants free and fair elections , the police will get free and fair elections ” .
Governor Wike berated the police for declaring a state-wide curfew without consultation with the Rivers State Security Council. He reminded the Inspector General of Police that he has written several letters to his office without reply. He informed him that the State SARS Commander, Mr. Akin Fakorede has been indicted for distributing SARS uniforms to APC thugs. Earlier, the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris said that he was in the state to ensure that the election was peaceful. He urged the people of Rivers State to support the Security agencies to deliver peaceful polls.
