- It would be recalled that tension has been mounting in the oil-rich State as the protracted political crisis bedeviling it worsens amid move by the State Assembly to impeach governor Siminalayi Fubara
Reports claiming the Port Harcourt residence of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, was attacked and set ablaze by hoodlums are false, the police in Rivers State have said.
It would be recalled that tension has been mounting in the oil-rich State as the protracted political crisis bedeviling it worsens amid move by the State Assembly to impeach governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Reports had filtered through on Sunday night that Wike’s residence was attacked and razed by a clutch of unidentified assaillants.
However, the police described the reports as false and misleading as it had no record of such incident.
The police in a statement issued on Monday by its Public Relations Officer, Superintendent Grace Iringe-Koko, warned people to refrain from peddling such inflammatory reports.
Iringe-Koko stated: “The attention of the Rivers State Police Command has been drawn to a misleading and malicious report circulating on various online media platforms, falsely claiming that riots have erupted in Rivers State, leading to the burning of the residence of the former Governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, along with other acts of violence.”
According to her, the report was a deliberate attempt to cause unrest and spread fear.
“The Command categorically states that this report is entirely false, baseless, and a deliberate attempt by mischief makers to incite unrest and spread fear among law-abiding residents. There is no record of any such incident, and normalcy prevails across the state. The general public is urged to disregard these unfounded claims, which are clearly intended to cause panic and destabilize the relative peace and security enjoyed by the good people of Rivers State.”
Iringe-Koko further warned against the spread of false information, stating that those responsible for such acts would face legal consequences.
“Furthermore, the Police Command sternly warns those responsible for spreading such incendiary falsehoods to desist from engaging in activities capable of inciting public disorder. The full weight of the law will be brought to bear on individuals or groups found guilty of spreading misinformation or attempting to disrupt the peace in any form.”
She reassured the public of the police command’s commitment to maintaining security in the state and urged residents to rely on credible sources for information while reporting any suspicious activities to law enforcement agencies.
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