Attacks on security personnel: Wike tightens curfew in Rivers, speaks on resolving to self-defense

Following the multiple attacks on security facilities and personnel in the state, Rivers Governor, Nyesom Wike, has further tightened the existing night time curfew across the 23 Local Government Areas of the state.

The governor in a statement issued on Monday, disclosed that the curfew will now start from 7 p.m. and end at 6 a.m. until further notice from tomorrow 11th May 2021.

The new restriction is coming after multiple armed ambush on police checkpoints along the East-West road which resulted in the deaths of 7 police officers.

According to Wike the state has declined for the moment the pressure to “activate our youth to defend the State from these terrorists because we don’t want to complicate our very delicate security situation by creating opportunities for some other monsters to emerge.”

Wike directed the security agencies to note the new curfew time, and ensure strict compliance and effectively deal with any person or group that violates or attempts to violate it.

He appealed to the public for their supports and assured them of his administration’s commitment to resolve the security challenges of the state.

“However, we are determined to deploy everything at our disposal to advance the safety and security of lives and property in our State and nothing will stop us from defeating the evil forces presently threatening our individual and collective security,” the statement read in part.

“We continue to appeal to members of the public to understand with us in the midst of the economic troubles that our actions may inflict as our one and only aim is to achieve and sustain the maximum security of lives and property in our dear State.

“We further appeal to the public to understand that security is everybody’s business and play their own roles, especially in passing intelligence information to the law enforcement agencies to process and take pre-emptive measures to counter and advance our collective security,” it added.