From: Tony John, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has declared that security agencies would go after suspected cultists and kidnappers after the expiration of the 60 days amnesty window. This is even as the governor noted that criminal activities have caused food insecurity in Rivers communities.
Governor Wike made the statements yesterday, in Isiokpo, headquarters of Ikwerre Local Area of the State, during recovery of weapons from repentant armed youths.
Wike, who spoke through his Special Adviser on Amnesty and Chairman of the State Amnesty Implementation Committee, Ken Chinda, reiterated that suspected cultists, kidnappers and other criminal elements, had within the 60 days grace, to surrender their arms or face security onslaught.
He vowed: “As a government, we cannot allow this (criminality) to continue. After the period of the amnesty, we shall go in and fish them out. We shall not shy away from our responsibility.
“We will not allow you to rape and kill married women and girls. We will not allow you to kidnap and chase investors away from the local government area and the state.
“Those who refused to come out and surrender their arms, have declared themselves enemies of the state and Nigeria. What we are doing is to help you. Remember that some of your members who started with you are no more. You should thank God for offering you this amnesty. Those who refused to come out, the full weight of the law will descend upon them and they will not have another opportunity”, he declared.
In his remarks, the Caretaker Committee (CTC) chairman of the LGA, Samuel Nwanosike, noted that insecurity had turned Ikwerreland into a theatre of blood, which led the council to seek the support of the state government to offer amnesty to youths in Ikwerre LGA.
He urged the youths to shun kidnapping, cultism and armed robbery, so that business could thrive in the area.
He declared that those, who refused to embrace amnesty would be fished out, by security agents no matter their hideouts.
Members of De-Gbam and Iceland groups in the LGA laid down their arms before members of the Amnesty Implementation Committee.
Leaders of the various units of the two cult groups in different towns in the LGA, denounced their membership and signed undertakings of good conducts on behalf of their members.
Thousands of youths accepted amnesty and promised to live a transformed life style.