Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has alleged that his Chief Security Officer (CSO) has been withdrawn alongside other policemen attached to the Government House, Port Harcourt.
According to him, the withdrawal of the CSO was a continuation of the police high command’s plot to assassinate him.
He disclosed this yesterday at Khana Local Government Area when he led the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates to campaign at Babbe, Ken Khana and Nyor Khana districts of the area.
The governor alleged that the police high command also transferred 500 senior and junior police officers serving in the state, and replaced them with policemen from other states.
He said with the alleged partisanship of the police and their plot to compromise his security, he was now looking up to God and the youths for protection.
According to him, the police high command withdrew his CSO after the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Steven Hasso, attempted to invade the Government House, Port Harcourt.
“Does the Inspector General of Police (IGP) vote in Rivers State? The APC can take the IGP. For me, I will remain with the people,” Wike said.
He urged youths in all the locations where elections would hold to monitor results from polling units, to the collation centres, adding that the youths would resist anyone trying to smuggle in cooked up results.
He declared Wednesday to Friday as fasting days for the December 10 rerun and urged the people to use the three days to pray for peaceful and credible elections.
In his remarks, Senator Lee Maeba urged Ogoni people to vote Senator Olaka Nwogu, to represent the Rivers South-East senatorial district.
When contacted on telephone to react to the governor’s allegation, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Nnamdi Omoni, cut the call and later sent an SMS which read: “I’m in a meeting.” But he did not call back as at the time of filing this report.
In a statement later sent to newsmen, the command spokesman said he was not aware of any transfer of police officers or withdrawal of Governor Wike’s CSO.
He said there was usually a signal to back up transfer of police officers.
“As far as I know, if anybody is transferred, there is usually a signal to that effect. I am not privy to any signal about the transfer of police officers or withdrawal of governor’s CSO,” he said.
