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By Joel Anakwe
The immediate past governor of Rivers State and Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi has said that the New Year cross over killings in Omoku and “the uninspiring response” of the state governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, should compel the people of the state to action against insecurity and bloodbath.
In a broadcast to the state on Monday, Amaechi described the mayhem in Omoku as the breaking point where the state must all collectively rise up and raise its voice to say it has had enough, while calling for the state governor Nyesom Wike to discharge his oath as the chief security officer of the state to protect the people or resign.
He described the state government’s response as “inept, blame-game response of a state government that swore to an oath to protect every Rivers man and woman”.
Amaechi observed that in the past few years, “we have suffered and endured a debilitating state of insecurity in Rivers State. Many lives have been cut short while many more have been maimed. Hopes and dreams have been dashed; families distraught and destroyed. Murderous cult groups and rival gangs reign supreme. Our once peaceful State has lost its serenity and lustre. We are now being derisively referred to as ‘Rivers of Blood”.
“However, the killings in Omoku in the first few hours of this new year and the uninspiring, inept, blame-game response of a State government that swore to an oath to protect every Rivers man and woman should collectively compel us to action and scream that we’ve had enough of the insecurity and bloodbath.
“Like most of you, I was shocked, utterly disgusted to hear the man, who, I must repeat, took an oath to protect you, attempts to justify and casually explain away the cold-blooded murder of innocent Rivers people in Omoku on New Year’s Day. The governor’s attempt to justify and compare the Omoku murders or any other killings in Rivers State to whatever is happening in any other part of the country is a deceitful, poisonous narrative that we must never allow to flourish. The governor’s repugnant attempt at finger pointing, blaming oil companies, opposition politicians and everyone else apart from himself, is a clear indication that he has abdicated his primary constitutional responsibility to safeguard lives and property,” he said.
Amaechi returned the blame for the escalating in the state to Governor Wike who had earlier pointed accusing fingers at the APC in Rivers State, adding that “you know, and many outside Rivers State know that the nature and type of insecurity, violence and carnage in the state are unique and peculiar to the state. The madness in Rivers State since the advent of these NEW men of power is rooted firmly in the witchcraft politics of those who now preside over the affairs of the state. They lack the political will and have devilishly refused to halt the violence and killings, and restore some level of sanity in the State because of their mischievous politics and voodoo electoral calculations”.
“Let no one deceive you with a twisted narrative on the origins, causes and solutions to the bloodbath in Rivers State. Most of you can attest to how I battled and tackled insecurity when I served as your governor. I led the fight against the cultists, gangs, thugs and criminals masquerading as militants; they were driven out from hiding, many fled the State. I was able to do that because I was never in bed with the criminals; I never appointed any into political office or crowned any king. The administration I led was able to return the State to serenity from the horrible state of insecurity and violence we met when we took over. Rivers people enjoyed peace until the months leading up to the 2015 general elections when these ‘new’ men of power in the state introduced unprecedented violence and killings in the state,” he said.
He commiserated with families of the victims saying “My thoughts and prayers are with all who lost loved ones in the Omoku attack, as we continue to pray for the repose of the souls of those who were murdered. I assure you that the federal government will begin to protect you”.
