Governor Nyesom Wike believes the international oil companies are hugely responsible for the increasing culture of cultism in the state.
Wike whose state witnessed the murder of 17 people on New Year eve on their way back home from the cross-over service, said oil companies in the state were awarding surveillance contracts to cultists who in turn use the money to buy sophisticated weapons with which they terrorise the communities.
The 17 were shot dead at Omoku, headquarters of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area allegedly by cultists.
The governor who spoke while receiving Interior Minister Abdulrahman Danbazzau claimed that the security agencies knew the cult kingpins terrorizing the residents.
โThe security agencies have the profiles of all cult kingpins in different parts of the state and they know their locations,โ he said.
He accused Police Inspector general Ibrahim Idris of failing to heed several requests made by the Rivers government for the deployment of special squads to tackle cultism and kidnapping in the state.
He added: โThere is no wisdom in the politicization of security. Insecurity can affect anybody. You can never know the next victim of insecurity.
โThe peculiar nature of Rivers State requires peculiar intervention.
โBefore now, I have been shouting that we need support to fight crime.โ
The governor attacked politicians whom he said were using the killings to play politics and make false allegations against the state.
Danbazzau said he was directed by President Muhammadu Buhari to visit the state and assess its security situation because of the killing.
The Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Mr. Dakuku Peterside, who hails from Rivers had attributed cult-related killings in the state to backing from powerful politicians.
He particularly blamed Governor Wike for the situation because, according to him, the governor โlacks the capacity and competence to guarantee the safety and security of Rivers people.โ
Continuing, Peterside, who contested the last governorship election with Wike, said: โIt is unfortunate that over 1,000 persons have been killed in questionable circumstances in the last two years under his watch. He should stop playing politics with the lives of Rivers people.
