GOC 6 Division Plans To Arrest Rivers Council Chairmen Ahead Of The General Elections Says Governor Wike 

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has declared  that the  General Officer Commanding 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Jamil Sarham has planned the arrest of 10 Local Government  Council Chairmen in the state  in a bid to scuttle the elections in the state. 

Addressing journalists on Thursday, Governor Wike said  that the intention  of the GOC  6 Division of the Nigerian Army is  to generate insecurity and violence  through undue provocation of the people. 

Governor  Wike  added that the GOC 6 Division of the Nigerian Army  has also pencilled  down 182 persons who will be arrested across the 23 Local Government Areas.  He said majority  are PDP members. 

Governor Wike said: “The GOC 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Jamil Sarham has stated that he will arrest the Chairman of Ikwerre, Abua/Odual, Mayor of Port Harcourt, Chairman of Bonny  and Degema Local Government Area. 

“Other Chairmen to be arrested  by the GOC include, Akuku-Toru, Asari-Toru, Gokana, Khana and Eleme Local Government Areas”.

The governor noted: “What offence have these council chairmen committed to warrant this illegal intimidation? If they committed any offences, were these offences committed within the election  period? Why were they noted arrested before now.

“These are the actions that will lead to crisis . Allow the people to vote freely and their votes must count. Rivers people must be allowed to vote”.

He said that Rivers State is for Rivers people and security  agencies  will not be allowed to waste the lives of the people in the name of elections. 

“If Major General Jamil Sarham has been promised the post of the Chief of Army Staff, it will not be at the expense of the lives of our people”, he said.

Governor  Wike  expressed  concern that the security  agencies  are misinterpreting  the Presidential Directive on ballot box snatching.  He said that the Nigerian Army and the Federal Special Anti-robbery Squad have seen the directive as a leeway to kill innocent  people, even when the Army and Police are the real culprits.

The governor regretted that police and army fake uniforms are being produced for the purpose of disrupting the elections  on Saturday  by APC leaders. 

He noted that despite the directives by heads of  national security agencies, the situation  in Rivers State is different as the GOC 6 Division of the Nigerian Army and the Federal Special Anti-robbery Squad Commander, Akin Fakorede  are engaged in illegal activities  during the elections. 

“The Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is moving around with a battalion of soldiers. Several trucks of soldiers are at his residence of Ernest Ikoli  in Old GRA. 

“While Amaechi is using the soldiers to commit electoral atrocities, the GOC 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Jamil Sarham and  Akin Fakorede are obviously partisan, supporting the APC” he said. 

He noted that APC is not participating in the core of the elections as they will field candidates for National Assembly, State Assembly and Governorship Elections. 

 

The governor said that the function of the  security agencies is to secure voters, ad-hoc staff and election materials.