Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike has ordered the 23 council chairmen and youths to fish out members of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) from the state.
Wike threatened to sack any council chairman that allows IPOB to hold processions and hoist its flag within any part of the state.
The Governor, who spoke during a meeting with the chairmen, community development committees and youths leaders at the Government House, in Port Harcourt on Monday, described Rivers as the most accommodating state for all Nigerians.
He said there had never been any historical incident of different ethnic groups clashing in the state like in other parts of the country.
He said: “We can never be against any ethnic group. We can never do that. We have lived in harmony with the Ibos, the Hausas, and with Edo people.
“Everybody that comes to this state we have lived in harmony with. And so Nigerians must commend Rivers State as a place where you have never had problem between this group and that group”.
Wike in a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kelvin Ebiri, said while the people of the state believed in the unity of the country, they would not allow criminals under the aegis of a terrorist group called IPOB to continue to threaten the stability of the state.
He said: “There is one terrorist group they call IPOB. I did not declare them terrorist group, the court declared them terrorist group. Not me.
“The federal government declared them a terrorist group. IPOB cannot use Rivers state to be place where they will be launching attack. If you allow that, your future, your children’s future is gone”.
The Governor wondered why IPOB had the effrontery to hoist its flag in Oyigbo and directed the council chairman to ensure there would not be another occurrence of such treasonous act.
“Go to Oyigbo and see what they have done. Destroyed the court. What did the court do? See the soldiers they killed and burnt them.
“See the policemen they killed and burnt them and then you said people will sit and fold their arms,” Wike said.
The Governor called for vigilance on the part of Rivers people and warned sternly that IPOB members should not delude themselves thinking Rivers could be colonised or annexed by any group under his administration.
He said that Rivers could never be annexed by any state insisting that the state remained part of Niger Delta region.
He explained that while every Nigerian was allowed to reside in Rivers, those willing to do so must live in peace with the people of the state.
“Ibos are living and doing their business here and they will continue to live and their business here. We support that.
“But that terrorist group called IPOB cannot determine what happens in our state. To tell us where they own. It will never happen and we must allow it to happen”, he said.
Wike charged all chairmen of councils, youth leaders, CDCs to go into their various communities and identify all IPOB members and warned against harassing any Igbo person legitimately doing business in the state.
“But there are criminal elements that we must not allow, and the criminal elements are those who said they are IPOB members. Federal government has proscribed them, I have proscribed them” he said .
He called on the people to defend the territory and ensure no part of the state was annexed by a criminal organisation or terrorist organisation.
He said: “We cannot allow it. All our vigilant groups must be encouraged. Everybody must be at alert. Work with the security agencies to make sure nothing call IPOB exist in this state. No procession. Not even a meeting somewhere. Identify where they hold meeting cells” he said
Commissioner for Youth Development, Ohia Prince Obi, lauded the Governor for interfacing with the youths saying it would give them a sense of belonging in the affairs of the state.
The chairman, National Youth Council of Nigeria in Rivers State , Chijoke Ihunwo’s appeal to Wike for clemency for wanted , Stanley Mgbere, who led IPOB members to attack the palace of the king of Onne, was rejected.