Rivers tightens security at prisons, police stations after Biafran group’s threat

The Rivers State government has reinforced security at the Port Harcourt Correctional centre, as well as the various police stations in the city due to fears of possible attacks.

The reinforcement came after a group; Biafra Nations League (BNL) in the South-South region threatened to unleash mayhem on oil companies that were operating in Port Harcourt, the state’s capital, and bring the state to its knees.

The group faulted the Governor of the state, Nyesom Wike, for banning meetings by the United Igbo Community (UIC) in the Oyigbo Local Government Area of the state.

Wike in a statement released by the state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Paulinus Nsirim, had announced a ban on meetings by Igbo groups in some areas of the state, and that the decision of the government was for security reasons.

However, the BNL in a statement signed by its Deputy National Leader and Head of Operations, Ebuta Takon, and the Chief of Staff, Linus Essien, warned Wike to stop threatening Igbos from the South-East merely because of activities of Nnamdi Kanu’s led Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Read also: Rivers State yet to receive N78.9b refund from FG —Fashola

According to reports, a heavy presence of policemen and armed operatives were seen at the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre located along Dockyard Road, on Sunday.

Also, along the road leading to the maximum facility and the major entrance, security vehicles with the inscription, ‘Operation Sting’ were stationed with fierce-looking personnel, while vehicles passing through the area were subjected to checks.

Similarly, at the state police headquarters on Moscow road, both sides of the road from the Port Harcourt City Local Government Secretariat to Moscow were also blocked, preventing vehicular movement.

Also, on Moscow road, an Armoured Personnel Carrier was stationed there, while several patrol vans parked within, while the armed men looked battle-ready to knock off any incursion.

Meanwhile, residents and others who do businesses within the area were allowed to pass but were subjected to a search, especially those carrying bags.

At the Abali Park Police Post at the Mile One area of the city, the road in front of the police office was barricaded like a crime scene with tapes, while all vehicles were forced to divert to the other side of the road.

This comes after several attacks on the police and correctional facilities in the neighbouring Imo State by unknown gunmen.

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