Gov Wike threatens to fire monarchs, others over alleged extortion

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has threatened to fire any monarch and community development committee leaders that make an attempt to extort money from organisations handling infrastructural projects of the government.

Wike issued the warning during the inauguration of the construction of the Rumuepirikom Flyover in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state on Wednesday.

The Governor said that, “any monarch from Rumuepirikom and other communities in the state who summoned contractors handling government projects to his palace for the purpose of demanding inducement will be deposed.”

The warning of the Governor was contained in a statement by his media aide, Kelvin Ebiri, entitled, ‘Rivers State Government will depose chiefs, CDC leadership that harass contractors, disrupt government projects.’

Wike also warned youths in the state to “resist the temptation of disrupting government projects communities,” stating that the period when government overlooked such actions was over.

The Governor also advised Julius Berger and other firms handling construction works to guarantee execution of the local content section of the project.

He said, “Now, I’ll not be a Governor that will go and meet somebody in 2023 when I leave to complete my village road, no, I won’t do that. Every road in my community, I must do it now. I am not forgetting any road.”