Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike, on Saturday, accused the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, of planning to raid his private house in Asokoro, Abuja.
Wike claimed that the IG’s plan was for the police to raid his residence in Abuja after planting incriminating items there, adding that he was not staying in the house and did not keep anything there.
The governor, who spoke with journalists at the Government House in Port Harcourt, explained that though he was not afraid of the plot by the police chief, he was aware that the IG gave approval on Friday for a raid on his house.
He also alleged that the plot was to raid his house and then go to court on Tuesday for a search warrant because Monday had been declared a public holiday.
Wike stated that rather than search his house in Abuja, the police boss should raid his house in the village and the one located at Old GRA.
He said, “About three weeks ago, I had an interview with SUNDAY PUNCH where I said the IG is after my life. I am not afraid, but I just want to let Nigerians know. This approval was given on Friday before the IG travelled to Kaduna. This is for you to know I am aware. It (document) has gone to five tables after they made the approval. I am aware.
“Now, what they have done is that the order they want to get from the court, they did not indicate who owns the house or who is living in the house.
“Obviously, the court will be wary of searching a governor’s house because of immunity. But to beat that, they did not indicate that it is the governor of Rivers State House.
“I don’t live in Abuja and I cannot keep anything in Abuja. They can go and plant either AK-47 or $1m and say they found it in the governor’s house. They can even put wrist watches that are so expensive; that cost up to $10m and say, oh, we discovered it in the governor’s private residence.’’
Wike stated that he was ready to fight in Rivers State and not Abuja, adding that the police were after him because he said they would not be allowed to rig election in the state.
He, however, stated that that he would go to his Abuja residence and watch the “crack team” of the IG break into his house and plant AK 47, machine guns and dollar notes.
“You cannot gag everybody; people must have their opinions on issues. That I have my opinion on a certain issue does not mean that you have to be after the person’s life. Now, all these things are plots to say we’ve got guns. If I have gun, why would I keep it in Abuja? It is here (Rivers State) that I am waiting for them for a fight; I don’t need to go and keep gun in Abuja, ’’ the governor said.
He advised the IG to remove his uniform and join politics rather than making himself an agent or stooge to politicians.
“Because I said the money they found in Ikoyi belongs to Rivers State, what is wrong in that? I did not say it is my money, I said it is Rivers State Government’s money. If you like, go and plant anything in my house and say that this is what you found.
“And now, by the time they go there (my house), they will say it is as a result of the information they got. They will say it is whistle-blowing; whereas there is no whistle-blower anywhere.’’
On the seven-day ultimatum he gave to Federal Government to return the seized Ikoyi billions, Wike explained that a legal team was working on the matter, adding that he would not disclose the state government’s plan.
Reacting, the Force spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, dismissed Wike’s allegation, saying there was no plan to raid his house in Abuja.
He described the governor’s statement as sad and unfortunate.
“I am not aware of any plan to raid the governor’s house. Why would the police raid his house in Abuja? The governor should not be making such false allegations against the police. This is unfortunate. Well, I don’t have any briefing that this would be done,” he said.
-The Punch
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