Rivers state governor Nyesom Wike has alleged that three local government areas in the state – Gokana, Asari-Toru and Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni – are under military siege. The governor said that there have been a series of coordinated attacks in communities ahead of the state and National Assembly rerun elections ordered by the Court of Appeal.
“One recurring decimal in these three deadly invasions is the fact that one Major Mustapha features in all of them. Major Mustapha, a Pro-APC military officer, was the Rivers State APC star witness during the hearing of election petitions in Abuja,” said Wike in a statement by his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu.
The statement reads: “At Asari-Toru LGA on 6th January, 2016, Major Mustapha and his team of dare-devil soldiers and mobile policemen invaded the residences of the caretaker council chairman, Ambassador Soboma Jackrich, destroying his homes and valuables before killing about five youths. They also abducted 50 youths and women, who were taken to Port Harcourt.
“The same scenario played out in Bua Yeghe in Gokana Local Government Area, where Major Mustapha and his illegal politically motivated squad attacked the home of Chief Solomon Ndigbara, a former Niger Delta agitator. They burnt his home before abducting his wife and 70 other youths. The Major Mustapha illegal squad also attacked the home of Chief Ndigbara in Port Harcourt, damaging the facility.
RELATED: BREAKING: Unknown Gunmen Invade Rivers Community Of Onelga In ’20 Military Trucks’
“On 13th January, 2016, the soldiers and mobile policemen were at ONELGA where they unleashed mayhem on lives and property. The residents of the area are still counting their losses,” it said.
The statement alleged that wherever ‘Mustapha’ and his team of security operatives struck, they were accompanied by known APC thugs.
It further said that no amount of intimidation will make the APC to become popular in the state, saying, “Rivers people are enjoying good governance and first class performance under Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike. They have therefore, committed themselves to the PDP.”
The statement called on Nigerians to take note of what it termed ‘unprecedented violence’ being visited on innocent Rivers people by the military and the police under the ungodly guidance of the Rivers State APC.
“The National Human Rights Commission is also invited to play its role at this critical time. The affected local government areas have on their own conducted media tours of the invaded communities. The civil society is in the know of the illegal invasions of the unarmed communities.
“Rivers State is PDP with Governor Wike as the people-ordained leader with the magic wand of delivery being enjoyed by the state. No amount of military/ police intimidation can promote APC in the state,” it said.
