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Dont Link Me or Saraki with Suspected Cultists – Kwara Gov

Published

8 years ago

May 17, 2018

Eric

A day after Senate President Buhola Saraki accused Inspector-General of Police, Idris Ibrahim, of a plot to frame him up in connection with some suspected felons, Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has denied any link with the suspects.

Saraki at Senate plenary on Wednesday alleged that the police chief had transferred some criminal suspects undergoing interrogation in Kwara to make statements to implicate him and the state government.

Following the allegation, the Senate set up a nine-member committee to meet President Muhammadu Buhari for his intervention in the matter.

The police later on Wednesday confirmed the transfer to Abuja of some suspects linked to a string of killings in the state but said the transfer was not because of Saraki.

However, in a statement by his spokesperson, Muideen Akorede, on the matter Thursday, Mr Ahmed has denied as “false and misleading, insinuations linking” him and Saraki “with the suspected cultists arrested in Ilorin, the state capital and transferred by the Nigeria Police to Abuja.”

In the statement, the governor said neither him nor the Senate President or any of their aides have links with the suspected cultists or their alleged activities.

“He also denied any knowledge of or any intention to harm any individual as the political leadership in the state has never used violence as a political tool.”

The statement referred the general public to the parade of the suspects by the state commissioner of police, Aminu Pai Saleh on Thursday, May 10, in Ilorin, “during which he announced that the suspects were arrested for alleged murder and membership of cult groups but made no mention of any confessional statement linking their activities to any sponsors.”

Mr Ahmed described the alleged killings as the outcome of clashes between rival cults in the state “as most victims have been identified by security agencies as members of cult groups.

According to the statement, “Governor Ahmed emphasised that the growing problem of cultism and cult-related criminalities formed the basis of his charge to the new Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Saleh to focus on ending the menace on his resumption last month.

“According to him, the state government sees cultism as a serious security issue requiring urgent attention and has accordingly amended the State Cultism Law to prescribe stiffer penalties for convicts and those who aid and abet them, besides providing operational support to all security agencies in the state in their fight against all forms of criminalities, including cultism.

“Governor Ahmed warned that cultism is a serious security challenge which should neither be trivialised and turned into a political tool nor be treated with levity.

“He therefore urged well-meaning Nigerians to disregard any attempt to politicise the menace of cultism but focus instead on joining hands with the government and security agencies to bring the menace to an end in the interest of public safety while allowing the rule of law and justice to prevail in the matter.”

Premium Times

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Two Rivers Lawmakers Step Down from Impeachment Proceedings Against Fubara, Sue for Peace

Published

13 hours ago

January 12, 2026

Eric

Two members of the Rivers House of Assembly, who are loyalists of former Governor Nyesom Wike, have withdrawn from the impeachment move against Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers.

The Minority Leader of the assembly, Sylvanus Enyinna Nwankwo, and Peter Abbey, who represents Degema State Constituency, urged their colleagues to exercise restraint and allow for dialogue to maintain stability in the state

In a video widely circulated on Facebook and an excerpt published by Rivers State Television, the lawmakers urged their colleagues to prioritise the overall interest and stability of Rivers above partisan disagreements.

Call for ‘cooling-off period’

The legislators stressed that the prevailing political climate demands calm, dialogue and a “cooling-off period” within the assembly to allow, in their words, “wisdom and truth to prevail” in the legislative chambers.

Although they did not expressly mention the impeachment process during the briefing, their intervention is being interpreted by political observers as a withdrawal from the impeachment push against Mr Fubara, which has heightened tensions in the state.

Background to impeachment moves

The Rivers assembly parted ways with Mr Fubara because of the feud between the governor and Mr Wike, who is the FCT minister.

The current impeachment notice on Mr Fubara is the third attempt in less than three years to remove the governor. The previous efforts had split the legislature into two factions, causing President Bola Tinubu to declare a six-month state of emergency in the oil-rich state and suspend the governor, the deputy governor, and the lawmakers.

The lawmakers accused the governor of constitutional breaches and administrative misconduct, allegations his supporters have dismissed as politically motivated.

Source: Premium Times

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I Won’t Surrender Rivers N700bn IGR to Anyone, Fubara Vows

Published

5 days ago

January 8, 2026

Eric

Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has resisted alleged pressure to hand over N700 billion, representing 35% of the State’s internally generated revenue (IGR), to anyone, sparking a heated power struggle with former Governor Nyesom Wike, now Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister.

The dispute has raised concerns about the welfare of Rivers State residents, with 4.4 million people living in multidimensional poverty.

The feud between Fubara and Wike, who unilaterally chose Fubara as his successor, has escalated into violent confrontations, defections, and legal battles.

Wike has threatened to make Rivers State “ungovernable” if Fubara fails comply, while his supporters have vowed to “deal with” Fubara.

In response, Fubara has warned that he cannot be intimidated, saying: “Rivers State is not a playground” and that he’s prepared to defend the state’s interest.

His supporters have also threatened to mobilise protests against Wike and his allies.

The crisis had paralysed governance, prompting President Bola Tinubu to declare a six-month emergency rule in the State last year.

The situation remains tense, with both sides maintaining their respective stance.

The outcome will have significant implications for Rivers State and Nigerian politics.

The dispute highlights concerns about godfatherism in Nigerian politics and its impact on governance.

Wike has accused Fubara of ingratitude, while Fubara sees the former’s demands as an attempt to undermine his authority.

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Rivers Assembly Begins Impeachment Proceedings Against Fubara

Published

5 days ago

January 8, 2026

Eric

The Rivers State House of Assembly has commenced impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

The legislature kicked off the process at plenary on Thursday.

The lawmakers are accusing Fubara and his deputy of gross misconduct.

Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, is presiding over the session.

The day’s proceedings bear the imprimatur of renewed hostilities between Fubara and his predecessor Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

On December 5, 2025, a horde of the Rivers assembly lawmakers led by the speaker, announced their defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Days later, Fubara formalised his own switch from the PDP to the APC.

However, the sabre-rattling and thinly veiled remarks between Wike and Fubara, which culminated in the declaration of emergency rule in the state in March 2025, have persisted.

Most of the Rivers lawmakers have stayed loyal to Wike.

TheCable