Rivers State Governor, Chief Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike has berated the Department of State Services (DSS ) for resorting to deliberate misinformation and concocted stories to justify their unconstitutional assault on the nation’s judiciary.
He stated that the DSS lacks the constitutional powers to be involved in the legal process to discipline a serving judicial official, insisting that there is a legal process that must be followed.
According to Leadership, Wike spoke on Saturday night at Government House, Port Harcourt, the state capital during a special dinner for the management and players of Rivers United Football Club of Port Harcourt.
The governor, who said the weak blackmail of the DSS will not lessen the crime they have committed against the Nigerian State by assaulting the judiciary, noted that nobody is deceived by the concocted figures being circulated by the secret police.
He said, “Their blackmail stories will not move me. They will concoct all kinds of stories to justify this undemocratic illegality perpetrated against the judiciary.It is really unfortunate that DSS would concoct a false defence that $2million USD (that is N900million) was found in the house of the judge. It is unfortunate that the DSS is coming up with flimsy excuses.”
It will be recalled that the governor and the DSS operatives had their encounter outside the gate of the residence. It is therefore ridiculous that the DSS remained outside to declare that N900million was found in the residence.
Wike noted that while he does not condone corruption , he will never support any process that is targeted at ruining the nation’s judiciary, adding that the National Judicial Council (NJC) has the responsibility to discipline erring and corrupt judges, after which indicted judicial officers are handed over to the relevant law enforcement agency for prosecution.
The governor said that the Police, Army and other para-military agencies have their respective processes for the discipline of erring and corrupt officers.
He said, “In the police, erring and corrupt policemen are first given orderly room trial, sacked and then appropriately prosecuted. For judicial officers, the DSS has no role.”
“This impunity must stop.I am not in support of any judicial support being involved in corruption.
What we are saying is that the right things must be done. We must not do things that will jeopardise our hard earned democracy.
“If they had abducted the judge, they may go ahead to kill the judge and they will say that Rivers State is insecure.”
Wike stated that he resorted to offering the explanation because of the propensity of the DSS and other agencies to use newspapers and the media to manipulate information.
The governor said, “The way things are going nobody should relax. Freedom comes with sacrifice. Independence comes with sacrifice. Liberty comes with sacrifice.
“We must resist this injustice. Nobody can intimidate Rivers people. If you use to do that, not now. I am informing you before you will read whatever lies they wiĺl circulate in newspapers.”
He noted that contrary to false statement issued by the DSS he was with senior Rivers indigenes at the time of stopping the DSS unconstitutional act.
The governor said, “I was there with our State and National Assembly members, Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Austin Opara, the PDP Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah and some caretaker chairmen. When they said I was with thugs I just laughed.”
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