FROM Preye Thomas in Port Harcourt
▪Demand immediate transfer of the alleged masterminds of Police
brutality and killings, Steven Hasso and Akin Fakorede
Thousands of Rivers people led by Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike took
to the streets on Thursday to protest the mass killings by the
Police and other security agencies during the December 10 rerun
elections.
The peaceful protest march took off from Government House, Port
Harcourt at 8am, moved through Azikiwe Street and Bank Road before
terminating at the Rivers State Police Command headquarters on Moscow
Road.
Aside Governor Wike, Deputy Governor Ipalibo Harry Banigo, Speaker
Dabo Adams, Former Minister of Transport, Dr Abiye Sekibo, Former UBA
Chairman, Chief Ferdinand Alabrabra, Former Deputy Governor Tele Ikuru
and Rivers State PDP Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah joined the march.
Also on the march, were Commissioners, State Legislators, Caretaker
Committee Chairmen , women and youths.
Governor Wike and the other leaders waited patiently for close to 30
minutes before the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Cyril Okoro came
out. Even then, he spoke through the gate.
Addressing the Police, Governor Wike said that the people of Rivers
State were at the Police Command to inform the authorities that
they were tired of the killings of innocent people in the state by
the police and other security operatives.
He noted that the people and Government of the state were
particularly dissatisfied with the recklessness of two Senior
Policemen, the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of
Operations, Steven Hasso and the Commander of Special Anti-Robbery
Squad, Mr Akin Fakorede who led the sponsored onslaught against the
people of Rivers State and compromised the security architecture of
the state.
He said: “On behalf of the Rivers State Government and the good
people of the state, we have to let the police know that enough is
enough.
“We demand that the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of
Operations, Steven Hasso and the Commander of Special Anti-Robbery
Squad ( SARS) Akin Fakorede must leave the state.
“Since you don’t want to protect the state and you want to be
politicians, you have gotten the votes you want to get, you have also
gotten the seats you want to get, you can now leave the state.”
Governor Wike further stated: “If they don’t leave the state, then
we will do all we can to ensure they leave this state. They must
leave this state. They have killed innocent people.
“We have come here peacefully, communicate this to your superiors in
Abuja. I cannot write again, since I have done that repeatedly.
Please, I don’t want my people to die anymore. I don’t want armed
robbers posted as senior police officers to Rivers State”.
He noted that the Police High Command has refused to act despite the
overwhelming evidence against the duo, especially the video footage
that showed Akin Fakorede and other security operatives trying to
snatch results of the Rivers East Senatorial District.
The governor said the situation where security officials have
transformed into politicians in uniform is quite unfortunate.
In his response, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Cyril Okoro assured
the governor that the Rivers State Police Command will pass the
message to the Police High Command for necessary action.