In spite of warnings and threats from loyalists of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, landed in Port Harcourt on Saturday, to a tumultuous reception.
Nevertheless, political activist and former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of All Progressives Congresd, Timi Frank, called for urgent investigation of Wike over alleged complicity in the killing of a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Ahoada Division in Rivers State, Bako Angbashim.
Honourable Boma Goodhead, a member of the House of Representatives, and other protesters, had dared Wike to step foot into Rivers State, vowing not to allow him disturb the state’s peace.
They called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene, warning Wike to stay away.
But Wike, accompanied by Senator Barry Mpigi, Senator Allwell Onyesoh, Minister of State, Petroleum, Heineken Lokpobiri, Rivers State House of Assembly members, and local government chairmen, returned to Rivers State, defying the warnings.
As Wike defied threats and returned to Rivers State, a video of Fubara being hailed by a live band in the same way Wike was idolised months ago surfaced.
Months ago, the live band and hype men, who accompanied Wike to occasions, interspersed his speech with words of adulation to him and mockery of his political foes.
A similar form of adulation emerged on Friday as Fubara commenced the construction of a 20,000 housing project, which provided the same platform Wike almost regularly used to “pepper” his political enemies with the reprise of the live band.
In a related development, Frank called on the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and Director-General of DSS, Yusuf Bichi, to urgently investigate Wike over alleged complicity in the killing of a DPO, Bako Angbashim, in Ahoada Division, Rivers State.
The activist insisted that all federal lawmakers whose names were mentioned by Goodhead in the killing must also be investigated. He also called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the alleged diversion of $300 million from Rivers State’s IGR.
Angbashim, a Superintendent of Police, had led his men to raid criminal hideouts in the Odemude community in Ahoada West Local Government Area of the state on September 8, when a dreaded cult group led by Okpara ambushed them, opened fire and eventually captured Angbashim, decapitated his body and filmed their action.
His killing attracted nationwide condemnation, with the police high command, the Federal and the Rivers State governments ordering an investigation and immediate arrest of the suspects.
Frank, in a statement in Abuja, had reacted to the allegation by Goodhead, representing Asari-Toru Federal Constituency of Rivers State, that Wike had a hand in the killing of the DPO.
Goodhead had at a protest rally in Rivers State in support of Fubara, accused Wike and some federal lawmakers of masterminding the killing of the DPO.
She also claimed that the governor had caused the diversion of $300 million given by Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) for Ogoni clean-up and N9 billion from the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of Rivers State.
Frank said the investigation had become necessary to determine the veracity or otherwise of the claims by Goodhead against Wike and two federal lawmakers from the state.
He called on Tinubu to set up a judicial panel of inquiry to unravel the killing of the DPO in order to ensure justice for the dead.
Chuks Okocha, Sunday Aborisade and Alex Enumah in Abuja
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