The Rivers State Goverment House

Govt House Security: Police Take Out Old Personnel In Rivers

By Jonas Happy

The political storm which had hovered over the Rivers landscape for a while made its landfall last week, not without devastating consequences. The State House of Assembly, bastion of democracy in Rivers State which stood in the path of the raging storm was not spared. Also affected by the cold war which turned into a full-scale crisis before it was nipped in the bud were three security operatives embedded in the Rivers State Government House inherited from the Wike era…

 

 

As the dust raised by the face-off between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his former boss, Nyesom Wike gradually settles, the Police has announced the reasignment of some of its personnel that are engaged in the protection of the Rivers Government House.

The deployment of key officers of the force responsible for the personal security of the State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara has taken effect.

According to a signal issued by Force Headquarters in Abuja which was signed by AIG Olarewaju Yomi Oladimeji, Force Police Secretary, three major Government House security operatives seen Fubara’s circle in the last four months have landed new jobs in the State, following a minor shakeup.

Those affected by the new posting include the Chief Security Officer, CSO, to the Governor and the Camp Commandant of Government House.

Both top Government House security operatives were inherited by Fubara from his political godfather, Wike.

The signal dated October 31, 2023 directed
Promise Nwosu who served Wike as Chief of Staff to assume office as the head of the Special Protection Unit, code-named Base 6 of the Rivers State Police Command.

The Special Protection Unit was set up by the police in 2009 to provide an effective security coverage for diplomats and VIPs.

Irikefe London Owen, Camp Commandant of Rivers Government House was ordered to take charge of the Counter Terrorism Unit in the State.

Emmanuel Nwakanma, another security officer in Government House is now to lead Operation Sting.

 

Recall that Fubara had allegedly removed Nwosu as his CSO and sacked his Chief of Staff amidst last week’s plot to impeach him.

In the beginning, the experience acquired by the security operatives in safeguarding the governor who took an oath of office on May 29th, 2023, was expected to be an added advantage.

Not any more.

Insiders revealed long before the matter blew into the open that the thinking which originally resulted in their retention as part of the emergent security apparatus of the Governor had changed.

By the time Fubara fired the Chief Security Officer, the three men who have just been redeployed were already being seen as adversaries allegedly planted around him by his predecessor.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State which plays a critical role in the oil industry is apparently calm.

This is despite last minute efforts by some persons to seize the opportunity of the crisis to launch themselves and give the events that occurred an ethnic colouration in order to escalate the crisis.

The Port Harcourt Telegraph reports that many in Rivers are attributing the return of peace to the streneous efforts put in by Rivers elders as well as other strategic stakeholders across the country, including President Bola Tinubu, to find a suitable political solution.

Fubara who called for a truce last week said “no price is too much to pay” to ensure that peace reigns.

He apologised profusely to Rivers people for the sordid events of the past week which raised a lot of anxiety, noting that such a development was regrettable.

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Wike whose position as the State’s leader was reaffirmed by elders of the party and members of the Rivers National Assembly Caucus had earlier been hailed by PDP Governors for what they described as his maturity and understanding when they weighed into the matter.

Governor Bala Mohammed, leader of the PDP Governors Forum in unmistaken terms acknowledged Wike’s political sagacity and said the Minister’s commitment to national unity and his resolve to encourage the growth of bipartisan collaboration is quite awesome and inspiring.

Wike told a delegation of the Rivers National Assembly Caucus who paid him a solidarity visit that what is paramount after a season of elections is the promotion of state and national interests.

He said political parties are mere delivery vehicles used to convey leaders and other elected officials to their destination.

Wike said he was pleased with the effort that the Rivers National Assembly Caucus is making to enhance national stability and ensure unity at the state level.

 

“Govern well”, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory  urged Governor Fubara while exchanging views with the lawmakers “but don’t touch our structure.”

He warned that it would be “insane” for anyone to imagine that he would look the other way while political structures that he laboured to build right from 2015 are being demolished by people seemingly envious of him.

The Rivers strongman warned that anyone contemplating such a move should equally be ready to take what he sees.

Expressing his loyalty to the Nigerian President, Wike made mincemeat of claims that he was asking Governor Fubara for 25% of the state’s earning, stressing that those believing such claims can only be fools.

Two basic facts however emerged from the crisis which erupted last week.

First is the fact that Wike has become the defacto leader of Rivers people regardless of the emergence of a new governor on the bloc.

Wike in the past few weeks has transformed into a rallying point for members of the All Progressives Congress and the PDP in Rivers State.

Records show that the awesome political machine built by Wike has recorded several electoral victories and put many, including Governor Siminalayi Fubara in prominent positions.

Secondly, a lesson that there cannot be two governors at the same time in the state is being emphasized.

Senator Magnus Abe, candidate of the Social Democratic Party in the last gubernatorial election stressed this point in a statement he issued as tension grew.

 

Abe noted that Fubara is the elected governor of the State and so should be treated as such.

Long before Abe raised this point of view, Wike had similarly declared there is only one governor at a time while saying that Fubara is the undisputed governor of the State.

“Going forward, political actors need to clearly define the role of godfathers in the political space and the place of governors in terms of governance to avert conflicts”, a political analyst said in Port Harcourt.

Sim had apparently acknowledged this fact when he said in the open that his would be to govern while the politics of the State will be left entirely in the hands of Wike whom he referred to as his boss.