Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has said that he got highest support and votes from Igbos residing in the state during the 2015 and 2019 general elections, hence, would not in any way undermine the Igbo nation.
Wike stated this when he met leaders of Igbos, Hausas, Yoruba and other ethnic nationalities living in the state at Government House, Port Harcourt recently following the crisis in Oyigbo local government area.
The governor dismissed insinuation that he ordered soldiers to kill Igbos in Oyigbo Local Government Area amidst the curfew imposed by the Security Council.
He explained that the Security Council was compelled to impose curfew in the LGA to prevent further loss of life and property.
According to him, “You carry propaganda that Wike is killing Igbos. They live everywhere in the state. So, am I also killing them elsewhere? No tribe gave us the kind of support Igbos gave to me, but that does not mean we should allow IPOB to destroy the state”.
The Governor who accused the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) of fuelling the crisis in Oyigbo, declared that it will be absurd for IPOB to assume the role of speaking for the Igbos when there are credible and outstanding people who can speak for them.
He however warned against allowing IPOB to continue misrepresenting the Igbos ethnic nationality.
He charged residents of the State appalled by the nefarious activities of IPOB, to resist the group and whatever it stands for.
The governor debunked reports that soldiers participating in the military operation in Oyigbo are going from house to house to kill.
Wike said the soldiers are merely trying to recover the guns suspected IPOB members took from their compatriots when they killed them.
“It is not correct that soldiers are going from house to house to kill. When the IPOB killed the Army officers, they took their guns. It is normal for them to recover those guns. In any case, there are consequences when soldiers are killed. Maybe they are retaliating in order to rebuild the moral of other soldiers. How can I now have such powers to order soldiers on any operation?
