Presidential spokesperson, Femi Adesina, says President Buhari's scheduled visit to Rivers state is as a result of the repeated killings and beheadings happening in the state.
Recall that on January 1st, an attack carried out by some militants/cultists in Omoku community in the state led to the death of 20 persons who had just returned home from church where they had gone to usher in the new year.
Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike, last week questioned the reason for the presidential visit. Governor Wike in a state function, said his state is peaceful and that there was no need for the presidential visit. He also alleged that the presidency is yet to inform him on the planned visit.
Reacting to Wike's comment, Femi Adesina in an interview he had over the weekend, said that President Buhari wants to condole with the families that have lost loved ones during the various killings in the state.
“If Governor Wike doesn’t understand, the rest of the country understands. We understand, other Nigerians understand. Even people in Rivers state understand because on New Year Day, a minimum of 24 people were killed in Omoku. So, is that not crisis? And can you count the number of people that have been beheaded in Rivers state in recent times? People will be killed and heads will be cut off and the assailants will go away with the heads.
So, can anybody say that there is no security issue in that kind of place? It’s left to the governor. He’s the chief security officer. If he says there’s no security crisis in his state, good luck to him.”
Asked what will happen if Governor Wike fails to welcome the president during his scheduled visit, Adesina said ''I’m sure he will be formally informed of the date. So, if he now says he doesn’t want the visit, it’s left to him and the federal government to decide the next step. But the president is visiting so that he can condole with people who lost their loved ones, 24 people minimum, were killed in Omoku. So, those people are the reason.
Those people and the many beheaded; relations of those beheaded and their heads taken away, are the reason why the president is visiting the state.”
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