Tension In Rivers As Wike Blocks DSS Attempt To Arrest Judge (Photos)

There was tension in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital in the early hours of today, Saturday, October 8, 2016, after the state governor, Nyesom Wike stopped an alleged attempt by operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) and officials of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) from abducting a Judge at his number 35/84 B residence, Forces Avenue in Port Harcourt.

According to report, the security agents stormed the residence to arrest the judge at about 1 am, on the ground that they were acting on orders from above.

However, the alleged abduction which was led by Mr Tosin Ajayi, Rivers state director of the DSS and Rivers state Police Commissioner, Mr Francis Odesanya, failed after Governor Wike intervened.

Reacting to the development, the Rivers state police commissioner, Francis Odesanya, while speaking with newsmen, stated that the two security agencies were at the scene because they received privileged information, adding that he was at the scene as a peace maker.

Meanwhile, governor Wike has condemned the action of the operatives the Department of State Security (DSS) and officials of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), stressing that it will not be under his watch that security agencies will be allowed to entrench needless impunity.

According to him: “Not under my watch will I allow this kind of impunity to take place. That is why we are here. I don’t know which judge they were detailed to abduct. I didn’t bother myself to know which judge. All I am interested in is that, at this level, it is not allowed.

“He is not a criminal and he is not an armed robber. If the person has committed an offence, invite him. It is only when he refuses to honour the invitation that you can adopt this commando style.

“The Commissioner of Police is here, the Director of DSS is here. Their operatives cocked their guns and threatened to shoot me. I have never seen that before. Again , this is to tell you what we are facing . We know that more will come. For us in this state, we shall continue to resist it.”

“It doesn’t matter what it will cost. When you talk about liberty, sacrifices must be made. We are not trying to stop an arrest. All we are saying is that things must be done decently and in line with the rule of law.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike (m) Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Austin Opara (r), Rivers State PDP Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah (2nd right), Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Dabo Adams (l) and Member, Rivers State House of Assembly, Victor Ihunwo in front of number 35 Forces Avenue after a failed attempt by the police to abduct a Federal High Court judge by 1am on saturday 8th October, 2016.

“Rivers State is under siege. For you to see a governor out at this time of the day, something is wrong. A siege is an understatement. If this type of thing happens next time, the people will resist it to the last”.

“They are trying to do something funny in this state, probably to declare a state of emergency". The governor stressed.