Police remove ‘Wike’s men’ from Rivers govt house causing unrest

There is a sense of unease and unrest as the police forcefully remove individuals associated with Governor Wike from the government house in Rivers. The situation is causing concern and raising questions about the motives behind this action.

The dismissal of Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s (inherited from his predecessor, Governor Nyesom Wike) House Chief Security Officer, or CSO, has resulted in a significant security upheaval in the Rivers.

The Nigeria Police Force Headquarters in Abuja announced modifications to its operations. Wike’s former police officers, who Fubara had taken over at Government’s House, were assigned to lead other divisions of the state’s law enforcement organisation.

The signal, dated October 31, 2023, was signed by Police Force Secretary AIG Olarewaju Yomi Oladimeji.

Remarkably, Promise Nwosu, Wike’s former Chief Security Officer (CSO), who Fubara inherited, has been assigned to lead the Special Protection Unit (SPU), also known as Base 6 of the Rivers Command.

The police created the SPU in 2009 to bolster protection for diplomats and VIPs.

Nwosu was purportedly fired by Fubara as his CSO during the impeachment plan last week.

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Irikefe London Owen, a former Rivers Government House camp commander, and an individual named Emmanuel Nwakanma are two more police personnel impacted by the redeployment who are thought to be loyal to Wike.

They have been assigned to lead “Operation Sting” and the Rivers Police Command Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), respectively.

Wike established “Operation Sting,” a specialised police unit, in 2019 to address the state’s security issues.

Nevertheless, Rivers is uneasy and anxious as a result of the appointment of the former state House security officers who are loyal to Wike.

While Fubara and his supporters will undoubtedly be relieved that the police officers have been sent out of the Government’s House, the Governor is reportedly also concerned about their assignment to lead vital police units.

According to sources close to the governor, the goal was to subvert Rivers State’s whole security framework so that the FCT Minister could easily remove Governor Fubara from office.

On his route to the now-burning Rivers House of Assembly, the governor had last Monday accused “compromised” Rivers Command officers, led by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, of firing tear gas and bullets at him.

PMNEWS