Presidency Planning To Declare State Of Emergency In Rivers State?
The embattled Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, told visiting
members of the Senate Committee on State and Local Government
Administration, that the state is now under siege of "Ogas at the top".
Amaechi’s stand is in tandem with Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu’s belief that the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, Joseph Mbu, has become the second governor of the state as he no longer take lawful directives from Governor Amaechi, the chief security officer...
Shortly before the governors of the opposition parties made their statement public, Amaechi told the Senate Committee on State and Local Government Administration investigating the crisis in the state how tear-gas canisters were shot into the state Government House.
Amaechi, who expressed shock over the sudden withdrawal of soldiers and Armoured Personnel Carrier attached to Government House, lamented that security commanders had not held meetings with him in the last two months.
He said, “Yesterday (Wednesday), they were shooting tear-gas canisters into Government House. When we were meeting with the Deputy Inspector-General, the police claimed that it was inadvertent that they shot tear-gas canisters into the Government House.
“So, I asked one question. Supposing it was a live bullet and it hit me? and they said, ‘No, the governor was not outside.’ But I said I was outside.
“We are under siege here. For two months now, we have not met with security men. Security commanders in the state don’t come to me any longer. They are either scared or they deliberately don’t want to see me.”
Soldiers withdrawn from governor
The governors also alleged that soldiers attached to him were withdrawn on Wednesday and Thursday, to further expose him to danger from militants and thugs sponsored by Abuja politicians.
“They withdrew soldiers attached to me yesterday (Wednesday) and this (Thursday) morning, they withdrew the APC attached to Government House, ” Governor Amaechi confirmed.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Senate Committee, Kabiru Gaya, had said they were in the state to find out how “best we (Senate) could have the (Rivers) legislators perform their functions without undue interference.”
Gaya added, "We also need to talk with the Assembly members on both sides, including the Commissioner of Police, the SSS (State Security Service) and the JTF (Joint Task Force). We have already asked the Commissioner of Police to meet us.
“The purpose of our mission is to ensure that peace returns to the state and to maintain good governance so that the people of the state will relax and have peace.
“We are not happy with what we saw and what we heard, especially when we saw people walking on the streets and their hands are up as if they are being interrogated, as if the the state is at war.”
