Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has declared that the federal government has destroyed the security architecture of the country, as he commended former Chief of Army Staff and Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), for speaking the truth.
Danjuma had last Saturday at the maiden convocation ceremony of Taraba State University, raised the alarm that there was an attempt at ethnic cleansing in the country, and asked Nigerians to rise up to resist it.
He said Nigerians must be alert to defend themselves and their country, pointedly accusing the military of complicity in the killing of farmers by herdsmen while the federal government has done nothing to stop them.
While swearing in four judges of the Rivers State High Court and Customary Court of Appeal at the Government House Port Harcourt yesterday, Wike said Nigeria is now completely directionless, with the country permanently on a dangerous downward slide.
He expressed regret at what he described as the politicisation of governance process, which has entrenched despair across the country.
Wike commended Danjuma for saying the “obvious truth†about the security architecture of the country.
He said Rivers State security has been deliberately compromised by security agencies who work with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to undermine security of lives and property.
According to him, the recent deliberate crisis and threat to violence by the APC on the setting up of the Neighbourhood Safety Corps underscores the “devilish schemes to promote insecurity in Rivers State.
“Nigeria has gotten to a point that we don’t know where we are heading. I don’t use to fast, but I will fast for God to keep Danjuma. He has said the obvious truth. It is happening daily in Rivers State.
“We are setting up our Neighbourhood Safety Corps, but they are generating crisis. We only replicated what is in existence in Lagos State, but nobody queries that of Lagos State. Only recently, Nasarawa State launched her outfit, without being challenged,†Wike said.
He berated the APC-led federal government for abandoning the solemn duty of protection of lives and property in pursuit of 2019 re-election. On the swearing-in of the judges, Wike charged them to uphold the rule of law and be fearless in their dispensation of justice.
He urged the judges not to allow themselves to be intimidated by agents of the political class, adding that if they fail in their responsibilities, they will be called to account by God.
Wike told the judges that they now have the opportunity to make the state a better place by enthroning justice.
The judges sworn in by the Rivers State Governor were: Justice Godwin Ollor and Justice Uche K-Chuku of the Rivers State High Court and Justice Legor Senewo and Justice Frank Onyiri of the Rivers State Customary Court of Appeal.
