Banditry Will Never End Since They’ve Politicised Security

The Executive Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has said that banditry will not end in Nigeria since the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government have politicised the issue of security.

Wike stated this on Thursday when he received the Board of Editors of Independent Newspapers Limited, led by the company’s Managing Director and Editor- in -chief, Steve Omanufeme, at Government House, Port Harcourt.

The governor said that “Banditry will never end since they’ve politicised the issue of security. I told them don’t politicise issues of security. They’re paying the price. Whatever you sow, you will reap. If you sow peace you’ll reap peace, if you sow trouble, trouble will always be with you.”

Wike said sometime in 2015 when Rivers experienced issues of insecurity, he went to the Federal Government for support but it was dismissed as politics out of hatred for the State.

“They didn’t send special forces to Rivers as they’re sending to other states now. They refused to support me because they didn’t want the State to be governable.

“Crime knows no boundary. It can be you tomorrow. If they have brought out zeal to fight crime, with seriousness, and collaboration irrespective of the party you belong to, a good result will be achieved,” he added.

He also spoke about the the $1billion Dollar withdrawn from the Excess Crude Account for acquiring weapons for the military.

“Now, the National Security Adviser says the $1billion Dollar they took from our Excess Crude Account without even paying us our 13 percent derivation is gone. They said they’ve not seen the weapons.

“But this one the National Security Adviser is saying that they misquoted him. I tell you, nobody is misquoting anything. We are aware that there was no weapon.

“Even the Chief of Army Staff said he didn’t collect money. So where did the money go ? This is a government fighting corruption and the press is not talking.”

Governor Wike also criticised the Nigerian press for saying nothing when things get bad like insecurity, increase in price of everything.

“Now, you’ll not pull down Nigeria again because it is not a minority man that is in power. Where is the voice of the people? Where is the voice of the journalists? Have your mouth be sealed up, dumped and you can’t talk again?

“Is it because you’ve seen power greater than you? When Jonathan was in power, he respected fundamental human rights. He allowed freedom of speech.

“Nobody would be arrested but now, you can’t talk because of fear that you’ll be arrested. That’s the situation we found ourselves. So, when I see journalists these days, I’m just shy. But you owe this country a lot.”