Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state has stated that the state has obtained intelligence reports indicating that some misguided politicians have begun recruiting cultists, ex-convicts, and thugs in pursuit of their 2023 political ambitions.
The governor stated that the state government is aware that hotel and entertainment center owners are in the process of renting out their properties to politicians and political parties as a convenient base for the gathering of these political thugs throughout the state.
Governor Wike stated in a state broadcast on Sunday that the state government does not take intelligence reports lightly and will not give any politician, no matter his previous or current position, the chance or opportunity to disrupt the current peace and security in Rivers.
“Similarly, we will not allow any political party, be it the All Progressives Congress, the Peoples Democratic Party or the Social Democratic Party to threaten the safety and security of lives and property during the campaigns with mayhem, thuggery or violence.
“Accordingly, we have already alerted and set the security agencies on the trail of these misguided politicians and leaders of political parties and stop them in their tracks with the full weight of the law.
“We also wish to warn owners of hotels and proprietors of relaxation centres to take notice and desist from releasing their facilities for politicians and party leaders to use to meet and plot against the peace, safety and security of our state.”
The governor has warned that the state government will demolish hotels and other places of entertainment that are associated with such criminal political activities.
“I wish to reiterate our unwavering commitment to safeguarding the sanctity of lives and property throughout the State and to reassure everyone that we shall continue to spare no effort to keep Rivers State safe and secure.
“We urge residents to be vigilant while going about with their normal activities and promptly report any suspicious gatherings or movements in your vicinity to the attention of the security agencies for necessary action.”
Governor Wike thanked the people of Rivers State for their unwavering support and solidarity with his administration since May 2015.
According to him, his administration deeply appreciates the trust that the people of the state have continued to place in him to advance the state’s collective peace, security, and progress.
Governor Wike also praised security agencies for their efforts, courage, and dedication to keeping Rivers State substantially safe and secure in the face of extremely difficult operational challenges, such as a lack of adequate support systems and motivation from the Federal Government.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Is Anthony Odiong still a priest after life in prison sentence over rape?")
