Rivers State Government said on Monday that the State Governor, Mr Nyesom Wike, survived five assassination attempt within 11 months.

State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dr. Austin Tam-George, who said this in a statement, described as callous and insensitive, recent denials by the police that the governor’s life was not at risk.

Tam-George explained that the first attempt on Wike’s life was made immediately after the Supreme Court verdict affirming his election victory, adding that All Progressive Congress government had declared war on the government and people of the state.

He stated that the governor’s Chief Security Officer was suddenly removed without any explanation, stressing that six police officers, dismissed by the police in January, played a key role in foiling the series of attempts to kill the governor.

“It is no secret that the APC government declared war on the government and people of Rivers State soon after the party lost the governorship litigation at the Supreme Court in 2016.

“We call on INTERPOL and the International Labour Organisation to lead an independent inquiry into why those gallant and patriotic officers were dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force on spurious charges of misconduct", Tam-George said in the statement.

The commissioner alleged that after several attempts to assassinate Wike had failed, an offer of N150m was made to two of the six dismissed police officers, to directly kill the governor, saying the officers declined the offer.

But the state Publicity Secretary of APC, Mr. Chris Finebone, faulted the information commissioner, saying the Federal Government did not declare war on the government, governor and the people of Rivers State.

“Wike should stop creating what does not exist. What he is creating is a façade. He wants to divert the people’s attention away from the fact that he is not transparent in handling money belonging to the people of the state.

“On security, the Federal Government did not declare war on the governor. If the Federal Government declares war on any governor, that governor will disappear into thin air", Finebone said.

The police, however, declined to comment on the alleged assassination attempts on Wike.

Police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, said he had no reaction to the allegations.

Punch