Nyesom Wike, the governor of Rivers State, says his administration would no longer grant amnesty to cultists who surrender their arms because they return to crime after amnesty is granted.
Governor Wike said this on Tuesday, June 25, 2019 when he received Ekpeye traditional rulers from Ahoada East and Ahoada West Local Government Areas of the state at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
The monarchs visited the governor to submit arms retrieved from repentant criminals in the area after a local amnesty programme.
“We granted amnesty in the past and some boys went back to crime. For now, we are doing what is called, ‘bending over’. If they renege, the law will take its course. When the court binds you over, it will be difficult for you to renege,” Wike said.
He also said that the government would not permit the proliferation of vigilante groups, saying that youths interested in helping to build the state’s security architecture should join the State Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency.
“I am being very careful about vigilante groups in all the local government areas because of what OSPAC is doing. They are now going beyond their boundaries.
“We will reintegrate OSPAC into the State Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency. Anyone who wants to support the security structure should join the State Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency. We will not approve local vigilante for different local government areas,” Wike said.
