Your gesture of amnesty has political intentions - Wike accuses Okorocha

macfranc007 February 08, 2018 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Nigerian newspapers 24/7 Onyirioha Nnamdi

- Governor Nyesom Wike says it is embarrassing for criminals who committed crimes in Rivers to be granted pardon in another state

- He claims that this act by the government of Imo state has some political intentions

- The governor also calls on the federal government to revoke Rochas Okorocha's amnesty granted to the cultists suspected to be responsible for the New Year Day killing in Rivers state

Nyesom Wike, the Rivers state governor, recently called on the federal government to cancel the amnesty granted by Governor Rochas Okorocha, to a band of cultists suspected to belong to late Don Waney’s gang.

Wike had insisted that some the cultists granted amnesty were behind the killing of 23 persons on New Year Day in Omoku, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA, Imo state. He said that such amnesty would not be recognised in Rivers state, since these hoodlums had already been declared wanted in the state, The Punch reports.

In his speech on Wednesday, February 8, read by the state commissioner for information and communication, Emma Okah, the governor said it was embarrassing for criminals declared wanted for crimes committed in Rivers to be granted amnesty in Imo state. Governor Wike claimed that this move by the Imo state government had political undertone.

Governor Wike stated: “You know we said earlier that the Federal Government was planning to grant amnesty to some persons that had been declared wanted in the state. But the Federal Government had washed its hands of the issue.

“However, the Imo State Government decided to grant them amnesty. Some of those granted amnesty were involved in the New Year Day killings in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State. The security agency had earlier warned the Imo State Government not to do it (grant amnesty).

“That action has deep political colouration and what this means is that criminals in Rivers are now saints in Imo State. The Police should not allow this to happen because it is embarrassing.

“Therefore, we call on the Federal Government to set aside the amnesty the Imo State Government granted some cult members, who killed 23 persons in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers state.”

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Earlier, NAIJ.com reported that Nyesom Wike, Rivers state governor, on Tuesday, February 6, slammed Governor Rochas Okorocha for granting amnesty to the cultist gang responsible for the New Year Day killings in Omoku community which claimed the lives of about 23 residents in the state.

He said the amnesty granted by the Imo state governor to the cultists would have no impact in his state as the N20 million bounty placed on the cultists by the Rivers state government remained effective.

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