Tony John, Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has attributed the security lapses in the country to alleged political interference by the Federal Government in the operations of security agencies. 

Wike spoke yesterday, during a courtesy visit by the participants of Senior Executive Course 40, 2018 Study Group Three, from the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
He alleged that deliberate political actions of the federal government have compromised the security architecture of states.

“What we have seen in most cases is that security lapses are a result of political interference,” Wike said.
The governor said Rivers case is exemplified by the transfer, in and out of the state, of  newly-promoted Assistant Commissioner of Police, Akin

Fakorede, who, he said, was allegedly indicted for electoral malpractices, between March 29 and April 4, 2018.
He drew the attention of the course  participants to the indictment of Fakorede, as contained on page 66 of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) report on the Rivers rerun elections, for alleged electoral fraud, violence and ballot box snatching, as well abduction of INEC officials.

“The man was given special promotion, as reward for the job he did for the police in Rivers, during the rerun. He has been transferred to the state, in preparation for their planned manipulation of the 2019 general election. They brought him back because of his expertise in ballot box snatching and election violence.

“The federal government has laid the foundation for crisis and violence in 2019. They are the ones who perpetrate crisis. We are peace makers, that is why we are drawing the attention of the international community to these actions,” the governor said.

Commenting on the Neighbourhood Safety Corps, Wike said the agency was established to complement the work of federal security agencies.
He said the organisation was fashioned in line with an existing model in Lagos State, under the leadership of respected retired military, police and paramilitary senior officers.

The governor said while  the federal government allowed the Neighbourhood Safety Corps to thrive in Lagos, Nasarawa and Kaduna states, for political expediency, they opposed it in Rivers.