Blessing Iruoma, Port Harcourt
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has announced a compensation of N20 million to the families of each of the soldiers and policemen allegedly killed by members of proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), in Oyigbo, during the ENDSARS protest last week.
This was the governor has also promised to rebuild all burnt police stations in Oyigbo, provide necessary support to policemen whose residence were vandalised and rendered homeless.
He vowed to ensure that the terrorist organisation no longer exist in Rivers State.
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Governor Wike announced the amount for the compensation on Wednesday, during a condolence visit to the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan and families of the slain policemen at the State Police Command.
The governor, who was accompanied by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, Commissioner of Information, Paulinus Nsirim and the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Prof. Zacchaeus Adangor, described the murder of the policemen and soldiers as ‘unacceptable and unfortunate’.
He stressed that the state government would support the Police to make sure that all IPOB members who masterminded the killing of the policemen and soldiers, as well as the wanton destruction of Police stations in Oyigbo are apprehended to face the full wrath of the law.
“IPOB masterminded the killing of our gallant officers of the Nigerian Police and Army.
“We want to state clearly that Rivers State Government will support you to make sure that any of the perpetrators of this hideous crime does not go free.
“Enough is enough. You cannot continue to kill our policemen who have not done anything; who have not committed any crime” he said.
Governor Wike who sympathised with the widows and orphans of the killed security officers, vowed to ensure that IPOB will no longer exist in any part of Rivers State. According to him, “the killing of policemen was one crime that the State government will never condone”.
Appreciating the governor, the state’s Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mukan, said the governor, by his decision to commiserate with the Command and the deceased families, has demonstrated quality of a compassionate father of the State.
Mr. Mukan explained that the Police and the Army have taken over all IPOB stronghold in Oyigbo and would ensure that the group cease to exist anywhere within the state.
The Police Commissioner maintained that the Command will not abdicate its responsibility by ensuring that IPOB which had been declared a terrorist group by the Federal Government in 2017, continue to use Rivers State as launch pad for its terrorist attacks.