Amid the political tension in Rivers State, there has been a major security shakeup around in the Government House and Police formations in the oil rich state.
Affected in the shakeup is Government House Chief Security Officer, CSO, inherited by Governor Siminalayi Fubara from his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.
In the changes contained in a signal from Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, Abuja, sighted by our correspondent in Port Harcourt, police officers who served Wike and inherited at Government’s House by Fubara were posted out to head other units of the law enforcement agency in the state.
The signal was signed by AIG Olarewaju Yomi Oladimeji, Police Force Secretary and dated October 31, 2023.
Significantly, Wike’s ex-Chief Security Officer, CSO, Promise Nwosu, who was inherited by Fubara has now been posted to head the Special Protection Unit, SPU code-named Base 6 of the Rivers Command
The SPU was established by the police in 2009 to fortify security around VIPS and diplomats.
Fubara had allegedly removed Nwosu as his CSO amidst last week’s impeachment plot against him
Other police officers affected by the redeployment believed to be loyal to Wike are Irikefe London Owen, a former Camp Commandant of Rivers Government House and one Emmanuel Nwakanma.
They have been deployed to head the Rivers Police Command Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) and ‘Operation Sting’ respectively.
“Operation Sting’ was a special police outfit launched by Wike in 2019 to tackle security challenges in the state.
But the posting of the ex-state House security chiefs loyal to Wike has resulted in disquiet and anxiety in Rivers.
While the posting of the police officers out of the Government’s House will certainly be a thing of relief for Fubara and his supporters, their posting to head critical police units, it was gathered is another source of concern for the Governor.
Sources close to the Governor believed that the move was to hijack all the security architecture in Rivers State in favour of the FCT Minister for easy impeachment of Governor Fubara
The Governor had last Monday accused ‘compromised’ officers of Rivers Command led by a Deputy Commissioner of Police of shooting tear gas, water cannons and bullet at him on his way to the burnt Rivers House of Assembly.
