Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has cried out over his predicament.

“The new commissioner of police in Rivers State told me that he is going to do a professional work and I told him, ‘You, a professional work?’ You can’t be independent and can’t do a professional work. The inspector general of police has given him instructions on what to do. The inspector general has told him he must cage the Rivers State governor. He shouldn’t come and tell me he wants to do any professional work. Who is he to say that?

“Before he was posted here, he was told what to do. They don’t post people based on competence but loyalty; someone who will do their bidding. Do you know that we are the only state that has had about nine commissioners of police in just two years?”

“But I told him and he knew I was telling the truth. When he was going to be sent, there were about three of them that were called, and interviewed. They said they were going to kill me. They took this one who said he would be diplomatic about it. We know. This police commissioner has an agenda; I can’t be deceived. I’m not saying he should go; let him stay. He has been given an assignment to kill me. No problem. No man dies two times.”

“Yes, I’m telling you the truth. The inspector general of police, who removed my security details without letting me know until when I was going out and realised that I had no security personnel. What is the implication of that? When a supposed chief security officer of a state wakes up in the morning and realises that he has no security personnel attached to him, what do you expect? What’s the implication? Danger!”

“So? I would go with security operatives to everywhere in the whole state? What kind of rubbish is this, in my country? When the President was running for an election, would you have withdrawn his security details so that there would be fairness? Tell me more. It is unfortunate that this is the only country where a chief security officer has been marked for elimination without anyone saying anything. And you, media, would keep mum because you are working with them.”

“You withdraw security officers from a governor, suddenly. I have been on the danger list of the government and I have been saying it. Nobody is saying anything. I have been marked out for assassination. It is not hidden. People know. This government says it will use me as example for people to learn. If I’m not a threat, why is the government killing my people? For ordinary legislative rerun election, the government posted 28,000 policemen to kill our people. At the end of the day, what did they say? That the governor of Rivers State paid bribes.”

“I have challenged them, but they won’t talk. They have intimidated all the people and they say they can kill him and nothing will happen. Yes, they can kill me today and nothing will happen, but something will happen tomorrow. That’s why I don’t go out. I only go out to see projects, anyway. There is an agenda. The only thing I know is that I have refused to allow them conquer the state. I have not committed any offence.”