Nigeria’s Minister of Transportation has claimed that the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, is not doing enough to protect lives and property of Rivers people.
Mr Chibuike Amaechi, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, accused Governor Wike of allowing violence to thrive in the state.
“The crisis in the state has gotten to a point where people’s lives and property are lost. I thought that the responsibility of the Governor is to protect lives and property.
“The only offence that is constitutional and you can refer to as impeachable, is when the Governor is not able to protect lives and property,” he emphasised.
The Minister, however, dismissed claims by the Police that the crisis in Omoku was as a result of cultists’ activities.
“Does the Commissioner of Police mean that the Peoples Democratic Party cultists are fighting against the All Progressives Congress members.
“Whether they are cultists or not, the reason why lawlessness is surviving is because you don’t punish those who break the law,” he said.
At least six persons were killed in Rivers State when Omoku community in Onelga, came under heavy gunfire on February 13.
Police said it was a cult battle for supremacy.
The attack occurred less than 48 hours after a former lawmaker, who represented ‘Onelga Constituency One’ in the Rivers State House of Assembly between 1999 and 2003, was killed by yet to be identified gunmen in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State.
Giving his opinion about the way forward to stop the crisis, the Minister said that “the Governor has to stop supporting violence”.
“If he doesn’t encourage the militants, they won’t be doing what they are doing. If anybody is found to have broken the law, punish him,” he added.
