New Telegraph

Wike reinforces ban on IPOB activities in Rivers

•Places N50m bounty on Mgbere

 

 

The Rivers State government has banned the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), in line with the proscription order of the Federal Government. Wike, in a state wide broadcast yesterday, said no form of procession or agitation by the group or any of its affiliates is allowed to take place in the state hence forth.

 

The governor declared one Mr. Stanley Mgbere wanted for leading members of IPOB to cause the recent violence and destruction of lives and property in Oyigbo Local Government Area; noting that N50million will be given to any person with useful information that could lead to his arrest and prosecution.

 

He said that the state government reached this conclusion having observed that the activities of the banned IPOB, noting that they are not just dangerous to lives and property, but also constitute clear and present threat to the existential interest and aspirations of Rivers State and all her people.

 

Wike expressed his heartfelt sympathies to the families of all those that have “either lost their loved ones or suffered damages to their properties from the destructive acts of IPOB in our state.

 

“Security agencies are hereby directed to stop any form of procession or agitation by IPOB in Rivers State or any part thereof and arrest and prosecute any person or group that identifies with the membership or activities of IPOB in the state; government will issue an executive order to strengthen and ensure the effective enforcement of these measures,” he said.

 

He disclosed that he will be meeting with all leaders of youth groups and community development committees in the state on Monday to take holistic measures to counter and stop all IPOB activities in Rivers State.

 

He recall that since IPOB was classified as a terrorist organisation by the Federal High Court and subsequently proscribed in September 2017 by the Federal Government, the group has carried out intermittent processions in parts of Rivers State, especially in Oyigbo and some notorious suburbs in Port Harcourt Local Government Areas.

 

According to him, IPOB aim had been to disturb the peace of the state by unleashing violence and destruction on lives and property at will.

 

The Rivers State government, according to the governor, had severally pleaded, warned and even advised IPOB and its members to discontinue its insurrectional actions in Rivers State to no avail. Instead, IPOB unleashed another orgy of violence and destruction inflicted at Oyigbo Local Government Area and some parts of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area on Tuesday October, 21.

 

He said this evil, wicked and audacious action resulted in the unnecessary loss of scores of lives, including soldiers and police officers, and the destruction of both public and private properties, including police stations, court buildings and business premises.

 

Not done, members of the outlawed group also visited physical violence on members of some targeted community which, but, for the quick intervention of the state government and the security agencies, would have resulted in some form of internecine bloodbath in the state.

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