Wike accuses SARS commander, operatives of kidnapping in Rivers
- Governor Nyesom Wike accuses the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of carrying out kidnappings in Rivers state
- Wike says this was revealed through a signal by the police
- He links the commander of SARS in the state, Akin Fakorede, to the act
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers has accused the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of being responsible for most of the kidnappings taking place in the statee.
Wike alleged that the commander of SARS in the state, Akin Fakorede, and some of his men had been indicted by an official police signal. He said the signal also showed that the operatives are responsible for many deadly robberies across the state.
The governor spoke when he addressed journalists on Wednesday, September 13, at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
According to Wike, Fakorede was planted in the state to sabotage its security architecture and create an atmosphere of fear.
He further said the alleged criminal activities of Fakorede were uncovered by the Inspector General of Police X Squad, Abuja, deployed to the state.
He said the squad had busted the attempted kidnap of one Azumana Ifeanyi on September 11, 2017 at the GRA, Port Harcourt.
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He revealed the official police signal as titled Police Wireless Message with reference number DT0: 121030/09/2017 -INGENPOL-X-FHQ ABUJA TO-INGENPOL SEC ABUJA.
Wike said the signal noted that the squad received a distress call on the kidnap of Ifeanyi and immediately swung into action.
He further alleged that the signal said they met the three SARS operatives robbing and a gun duel ensued.
The operatives had taken Ifeanyi to a Fidelity Bank ATM where they compelled him to withdraw N500,000 as ransom, he quoted the signal as saying, adding that one of the SARS operatives was killed, while Inspector Justice Nyeche, who led the IGP team, was injured.
“Most of the kidnappings and armed robberies taking place in this state are done by men of SARS. They use exhibit vehicles to operate.
“As the chief security officer of the state, you complain, but they choose to play politics with crime.
“They fight crime in some state, but they refuse to fight crime in Rivers state. We are done with the elections, but they are using SARS to create insecurity in the state.
“As I speak with you, they will deny. But the SARS operative who was killed was among those who raided the Rivers East Senatorial District Collation Centre. This man can be identified in the video as one of those who invaded the collation centre with Fakorede,” Wike said.
According to him, the deliberate acts of violence being perpetrated by the police are planned ahead of a possible rigging process in 2019.
“I have never seen a country where they politicise crime. It is very obvious that they want to give the impression that Rivers state is unsafe. They want to instill fear preparatory to declaring during the elections that they are so much killing.
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“Authorities deliberately trying to destroy a whole state and you want the people to be happy. I will no longer write.
“Now is the time to take my case to the public, for the whole world to know what is happening,” he added stating that his government had invested in security logistics more than any other while the police are allegedly working against the state.
Legit.ng reported in June, 2017, how kidnappers abducted seven passengers from a commercial bus traveling on a highway in Rivers state.
Watch this video as Nigerians speak on their relationships with the police:
Source: Legit.ng
