As the bitterness of the election fiasco in Rivers State remains in the mouth, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has pointedly accused an army general of running an illegal oil bunkering squad in the state.
Governor Wike berated the General Officer Commanding (GOC) the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, a major general, of doing so allegedly for the purpose of financing his quest to be appointed the chief of army staff. Efforts through the army public relations officers of the Division to get the reaction of the GOC were not successful by the time of filing this report.
What is important however is that the governor spoke with huge confidence and told this to the Commander of Joint Task Force Operation Delta Safe, a real admiral, Akinjide Akinrinade, right at the Government House in Port Harcourt. Akinrinade turned round to praise Wike as a man who understood national security.
The governor went on to declare that any attempt to appoint the GOC of the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army as Nigeria’s next Chief of Army Staff would spell doom for the nation’s failing security architecture.
Wike said of the GOC: “He has his own team that is making money for him through oil bunkering,” and accused him of allegedly compromising security in the state through illegal actions.
The governor stated, “We will have a security meeting and he will release the details to criminals. And the Chief of Army Staff will leave the man here because he is playing their role.
“How will security of the state be with such a man as the GOC? He will compromise when fighting to reduce crime, they sent us a GOC who destroy the security architecture of the state.”
This was also the accusation former governor, Chibuike Amaechi, said about the Commissioner of Police of his own era, Mbu Mbu, whom he accused also the way Wike is accusing the GOC.
Wike wondered what the Joint Task Force Operation Delta Safe would do when they encounter the illegal oil bunkering team of the GOC, saying Rivers people stopped the GOC and his accomplices from imposing a governor on the state during the elections.
“A man came to plot coup. The people resisted him for plotting coup. You want to impose a party that has no candidate for National Assembly and State Assembly elections on the people. How will such a party win the Governorship election? A party that nobody has seen their posters. Rivers people said no.
“He has result sheets. Let him bring the result sheets to the tribunal. Army now has result sheets. That is now part of their mandate”.
He assured the Commander of Joint Task Force Operation Delta Safe that the state government would support their operations to ensure that they defend the Niger Delta, especially Rivers State.
He said: “Anybody who wants to help us fight crime, I will support. I will never support those involved in illegal refineries”.
Commander of Joint Task Force Operation Delta Safe, Real Admiral Akinjide Akinrinade thanked the Rivers State governor for the supply of gunboats, security vehicles and finances for security operations in the area, and assured him that the Joint Task Force would not relent in fighting crime in the state.
“Governor Wike is a consummate politician and grassroots leader. As a man who understands National Security, he understands that National security itself is Local.
“We want to seriously commend you on your numerous achievements you’ve made since your tenure. I will like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Governor on the renewal of your mandate to serve the people of Rivers State for another four years “, he said.
The Commander said that the Joint Task Force Operation Delta Safe had recorded successes in the protection of oil and gas facilities and the maintenance of internal security in the area.
He appealed to leaders to engage youths to shun crime and criminality for the development of the state.
