Rivers state government has banned all activities of the proscribed Indigenous people of Biafra I(POB) in the state saying IPOB has no legal or moral right to unleash mayhem on the state and her people under any guise.
To this end, the governmentt has promised to issue an executive order to strengthen reinforced ban.
The state governor, Nyesom Wike who announced this in a state-wide broadcast Friday,said no form of procession or agitation by the group or its affiliates would be allowed to take place in the state as their activities were a threat to lives and properties in the state .
He therefore authourised Security agencies” to stop any form of procession or agitation by IPOB in Rivers State or any part thereof and arrest and prosecute any person or group that identifies with the membership or activities of IPOB in the state”
As measures to forestall IPOB activities in the state, Wike agreed to hold regular meetings with all leaders of youth groups and community development agencies on October 26th while placing a N50MILLION ransom on one Mr Stanley Mgbere for leading other members to cause the recent violence and destruction of lives and property in Oyigbo Local Government Area.
Wike recalled that since IPOB was proscribed in 2017 by the Federal Government, the group had relentlessly carried out processions in parts of Rivers State especially in Oyigbo and notorious suburbs in Port Harcourt Local Government Area with intent to disturb the peace of the state
According to him, the group defied government’s gesture of peace and instead unleashed terror on lives and property in Oyigbo Local Government Area and some parts of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area on October 21, 2020.
“This evil, wicked and audacious action resulted in the unnecessary loss of scores of lives, including soldiers and police officers, and the destruction of both public and private properties including police stations, court buldings and business premises”
“Security intelligence and surveillance have revealed that IPOB has continued to expand its membership drive holding meetings regularly, and expanding the logistical base, including the maintenance of illegal detention cells in Emenike and other parts of Diobu,Port Harcourt”
The governor said that Oyigbo has practically become IPOB’s main operational base from which they have become notorious in launching premididated violence and terror on the state, businesses and innocent citizens”.
He said the hospitality expressed by the state to all who reside and do business in the state shouldn’t be mistaken for weakness adding that the government can no longer tolerate the menace of IPOB.
