Wike Fears He May Soon Be Arrested By Security Operatives

Despite enjoying immunity from arrest and prosecution, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on Friday expressed the fear of being arrested by security agencies in the state.

Speaking during a special court session marking the opening of the 2016/2017 Legal Year of the state Judiciary in Port Harcourt, the Governor said he was afraid to leave Government House for fear of being arrested by security heads.

Stating that there was no respect for people in authority in the nation, he pointed out that anybody could be arrested and humiliated at anytime, regretting that judges would be intimidated and arrested like common criminals from their homes at odd hours of the night.

His words: “I was afraid to come out for this programme when I heard that all the security heads in this state came for the programme.

“So, I told my orderly to pack some of my things into a bag that I may not return because they may arrest me from there.

“My orderly asked, but you have immunity, I told him that there couldn't be immunity in Nigeria when people are arrested anyhow. We don't respect the rule of law. Anybody can be arrested at anytime.”

Wike, who went on to fault the anti-corrupt war of the Federal Government, declared that “The fight against corruption in the country undermines development. It serves no useful purpose”.

He flayed the Nigerian Judicial Council, NJC, and Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, regarding the stepping down of the embattled judges arrested by operatives of Department of State Services, DSS, on alleged corrupt practices.

The governor stated that lawyers had played into the hands of politicians, describing the decision over the fate of the judges as unfortunate and dangerous.