TheCable

The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) attempted to shoot Nyesom Wike, governor of the state, when they raided the residence of a federal high court judge on Saturday morning.

DSS operatives raided the homes of Adeniyi Ademola, the judge handling the trial of Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser (NSA), who is being prosecuted by the agency for alleged illegal possession of firearms and money laundering; Nnamdi Dimgba,  a federal high court judge; Walter Onnoghen, a justice of the supreme court judge; and Sylvester Ngwuta, another supreme court justice.

For allegedly cocking the gun at Wike during one of the raids, PDP described the operatives as “rogues”, saying their “acts of recklessness” against Rivers state was both an injury to one and an injury to all.

“The attempt by security operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and policemen to shoot the State Governor, Chief Barr Nyesom Wike for intervening in the illegal move to abduct a Federal High Court judge serving in the State in the early hours of Saturday, October 8, 2016, is most sacrilegious,” read a statement issued on behalf of Felix Obuah, state chairman of the party, by Jerry Needam, his spokesman.

“The unruly behaviour of the overzealous security operatives is the worst of its kind in the history of Nigeria and is a cause for concern.

“Though the target is to find reason to declare a state of emergency in the State, Bro Obuah noted, the President, the National Assembly members, Judicial Officers, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and all relevant authorities and stakeholders should be put on notice on these acts of recklessness against Rivers State as injury to one is injury to all.

“There is no doubt that the Rivers State experience is exceptional and the democratic abuse by security agencies and their political paymasters is aimed at testing the mindset of the people and if left to stand will definitely go round and translate into a national malaise.

“It’s unheard of anywhere in the world where legally constituted authorities like the DSS and the Police will break into the residence of a legitimate federal judicial officer of the status of a judge for the purpose of arrest in the wee hours of the day, citing order from above as their reason.

“This is an act of brigandage and roguery, worse still when a serving governor intervened, same security agents cocked their guns against the State Chief Executive/Security Officer in the presence of the State Police Commissioner and Director of DSS. This, though real, is most unbelievable.”

Obuah appealed to Rivers people to remain calm in the face of the “unprovoked attack and siege being perpetuated by those opposed to peace in the state”.

“We are happy and grateful God is on our side,” he said.

“Each time they come up with a new strategy to cause mayhem, they end up hitting the air because even the gods of the land abhor their intentions. Nonetheless, this particular sacrilege of attempting to shoot our governor will never be taken kindly.”