Police operatives, others arrested 

From Chris Anucha, Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, yesterday, led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supporters to protest what he called ‘mass killings’ by the  police and other security agencies, during the December 10 legislative rerun elections in the state.

In an ironic twist, some police operatives have been arrested over election fraud and violence in Rivers rerun legislative polls on December 10, 2016.

Regardless, the protest led by Wike took off from the Government House in Port Harcourt at about 8:00am.

The protesters  marched through the Azikiwe Street, Bank Road and  terminated at the Rivers State Police Command headquarters, on Moscow Road, Port Harcourt.

Deputy Governor Ipalibo Banigo, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Dabo Adams, former Minister of Transport, Abiye Sekibo, former UBA chairman, Chief Ferdinand Alabrabra, former deputy governor to Rotimi Amaechi, Tele Ikuru, Chairman and state chapter of PDP, Chief Felix Obuah were among the protesters.

Others included commissioners, House of Assembly members, caretaker committee chairmen, women and youths.

But, as soon as  the protesters approached the state Police Command headquarters, an officer locked the gate to prevent the governor and his entourage entry.

Wike and other leaders of the party waited for about 30 minutes before Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Cyril Okoro came out and spoke to them from the other side of the locked gate.

On his part, the governor informed the command they were there to inform the authorities that they were tired of killing of  innocent persons in the state by the police and other security operatives.

He said the people and government were particularly dissatisfied with the recklessness of two senior policemen, Assistant Commissioner of  Police (ACP) in-charge of Operations, Steven Hasso and the Commander, Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Akin Fakorede, who he accused of leading the sponsored onslaught against the Rivers people and compromising the security architecture of the state.

“We demand that Hasso and Fakorede should leave the state. Since you don’t want to protect the state and you want to be politicians, you have got the votes you want to get, you have also got 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. 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 robber posted as senior police officers to Rivers State,” Wike said.

Responding, Okoro assured the governor that the command will pass the message to  the Police High Command for necessary action.

Meanwhile, police officers suspected to have been involved in misconducts during the rerun have been arrested, Force spokesperson, Don Awunah said, yesterday.

Awunah confirmed suspected culpability of some police officers in the election violence.

He said some police suspects had been arrested, but did not give figures of those detained.

He said the officers were suspected to have been compromised by politicians.

“All of them will be brought to book and added that five suspected cultists engaged to unleash violence and snatch election materials have been arrested.

Awunah said the suspects had been taken to Abuja to avoid interference, and that one has confessed to being hired by a House of Representatives member-elect from Asari-Toru/Akuku-Toru federal constituency, Boma Goodhead.

He, however denied that Fakorede was involved in unleashing violence on INEC staff at a collation centre.

He said the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, had been involved in election management in Liberia and East Timor on UN assignment, and “there is no way he will not be able to deal with crisis in Nigeria’s election because those places are tougher”.

He said the IG was determined to bring all culprits to book because the police was the worst hit in the violence.