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Why I Prayed For Pervasive Killings, Kidnapping In Nigeria – Wike
FG thought I was playing politics with attacks in my state – Wike
Governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike, says no one has been vocal about state of the nation on issues regarding insecurity and other crimes ravaging the country like him.
Wike was speaking when he addressed the EndSARS protesters in Port Harcourt, Rivers capital on Tuesday.
Youths in the state staged the protest in solidarity with their contemporaries across the country who are also clamouring police reform.
Wike, who described SARS as bad unit, noted that no governor was as vociferous as him when it comes to calling out the excesses of the police unit.
Wike also disclosed why he prayed for killings, kidnapping and armed robbery to spread across the country, noting that the federal government paid him no regard when he raised the alarm over insecurity.
Wike alleged that the federal government thought he was playing politics with attacks in his state.
He said he pledged support for the protesters because “SARS has killed more people in Rivers than in any other state”.
“Nigerians like people who dance to the gallery but I’m not one of those governors and I will never be,” he said.
“I will say it the way it is whether people like it or not. Remember when there was so much kidnapping in my state, I raised an alarm to the federal government, they said it was politics. Then I prayed to God that armed robbery, kidnapping, killing will take over the entire country. Has it not taken over the entire country now?
“Mine is no longer politics. Nobody has suffered, no state has suffered in the hands of SARS like Rivers state. I’ m the only governor who has come out openly to fight against SARS and I say they must scrap this SARS.
“No governor came out, no one, no one came out that SARS should be scrapped. So, we have lost so many people because of SARS. When I was shouting in this country, I was shouting about SARS but no one state supported Rivers State. Not one state. Fine. SARS has killed our people a lot, I cried and cried, no state agreed and you want to tell me that the same SARS has gone to kill people in other states. Now, it has got to them. Now you want me? When they were killing my people, I was shouting, nobody answered, now, they have killed their own people too and they have seen how bad SARS can be.”
Wike, who had earlier banned protests in the state, made a U-turn and identified with the protesters.
The #EndSARS campaign has gained momentum across the country, with protesters blocking major highways as a measure to press home their demands.
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