PORT HARCOURT — GOVERNOR Peter Odili of Rivers State reviewed, yesterday, the state of armed gangs attacks in the state, and accused some of his fellow governors in the South-South of sponsoring the mayhem. He mentioned no one in particular, but warned those in possession of illegal arms to turn them in within 24 hours in their own interest.
He spoke at a meeting of Rivers State’s stakeholders made up of the governor himself and prominent citizens of the state.
His words: “It pains me to say that we have reliable information that some of these activities have been funded from outside the state. We have reliable information that some of those brand new boats that caused some mayhem in our state about a week ago were purchased and equipped with public funds from some of our neighbouring states.
“Not only those who are seen carrying arms and fighting are involved. There are sponsors, some of them in very high places. They have been funded by people who have one form of privilege or the other. Only God knows the purpose they want to achieve, but nothing is beyond God. The joy and happiness that God has made our portion in the state in the past few years has become the subject or object of envy and jealousy,” he said.
The governor condemned every Rivers man or woman who has taken sides with external enemies to torment the state, saying they were unworthy of being called Rivers citizens.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Austin Opara, who was also present, urged the governor to investigate and should he confirm that any member of the political class in the state was involved in the crisis, such politicians should be made to face the law.
He pledged that Rivers representatives in the House of Representatives would use their position in the House to ensure that the activities of the hoodlums in the state were stopped.
His words: “If it is found that any of us is involved in the killings that have been going on in this state, such a person should be exposed and made to face the consequences of such action.”
Also speaking, chairman of the state traditional rulers council, King Edward Pepple, condemned the involvement of some of citizens of the state in the ongoing crisis, saying he was fully in support of the state government’s plan to put a halt to the mayhem.
Challenging law enforcement agents to hunt down the hoodlums, King Pepple suggested that it would be proper for the governor to mention the names of prominent citizens of the state that were fighting against their own people. He appealed to other traditional rulers in the state to expose armed gangs in their domain whenever they find such.
The Oba of Ogbaland, Chukwumela-Nnam Obi, expressed dismay at the action of the police towards a leader of an armed gang in the state. He could not fathom why police provided security to one of the gang leaders during the burial his (gang leader’s) relation, arguing that at the time, the gang leader had already been declared wanted by the police. The Oba urged the governor to use the powers conferred on him as governor of the state to fight the hoodlums.
Also present at the meeting were clergymen, members of the press, legal practitioners, the political class and members of the academic community, among others.
