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Wike accuses Amaechi of sponsoring pro-SARS protest in River State

By Timileyin Omilana
20 October 2020   |   6:35 pm
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike on Tuesday accused Nigeria's transport minister Rotimi Amaechi of sponsoring pro-SARS protest in the state. "Intelligence report shows clearly that the Rotimi Amaechi-led faction of the All Progressives Congress based in Abuja is capitalizing on the opportunity created by the ongoing “EndSARS” protest to destabilize the prevailing peace and progress…

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike on Tuesday accused Nigeria’s transport minister Rotimi Amaechi of sponsoring pro-SARS protest in the state.

“Intelligence report shows clearly that the Rotimi Amaechi-led faction of the All Progressives Congress based in Abuja is capitalizing on the opportunity created by the ongoing “EndSARS” protest to destabilize the prevailing peace and progress in the State,” Wike said a post on Facebook.

Wike said one of the “beneficiaries of these kind gestures, Hon. Ojukaye Flag-Amachree is the one that led hired thugs and miscreants from neibouring States into Port Harcourt to cause mayhem and destruction under the guise of supporting “PRO-SARS” protests, against the overwhelming mood of the nation and the clear directive of Mr. President on ending the SARS menace for good.”

He further said the Amaechi, a former governor of the state, was sponsoring the protest “for political goals.”

Protests broke out in Nigeria about two weeks ago to demand an end to the activities of the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigerian police.

The unit was accused of crimes such as extrajudicial killings, kidnapping, extortion and intimidation.

Although police authorities and President Buhari said that a reform of the police would begin in earnest, protesters said similar promises made in the past were empty chatter.

The unit has since been scrapped and a new Special Weapons and Tactics unit established to replace. The government also ordered that all states should establish a Panel of Inquiry to investigate the activities of SARS.

Wike said he would be inaugurating the state panel within the next 48 hours even though such a panel has been inaugurated years ago put its recommendations were ignored.

“We submitted the findings and recommendations of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry to the relevant Federal Authorities, including the Police High Command, but nothing was done,” Wike said.

Many other states including Lagos, Osun, Ekiti have since inaugurated their panels.

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