Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has dismissed any notion of political crisis in the oil-rich state, saying his administration has provided focused leadership and governance to the people.

Fubara, who received members of the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions at Government House in Port Harcourt on Saturday, said his goal for the Rivers people was delivering good governance.

The governor explained how the pressure from the unwarranted political crisis served as an enabler to strengthen his commitment to service that is now impacting lives positively.

“As far as we are concerned, there are no political issues. I had seen a movie many years ago, entitled, ‘Devil’s Advocate.’ I believe some of you must have seen that movie too,” he stated.

“One of the starring characters: Al Pacino said, that pressure makes some people retreat or fail, and to others, it makes them become focused on succeeding. We have chosen to be focused under this pressure.

“That is why we are moving ahead. That is why we are making a positive impact on the lives of our people. Governance is about the people. It is not about self.

“Governance is about touching the core needs of those people we are leading, and by the special grace of God, we are doing it.”

Strained Relationship

Rivers State has been embroiled in crisis after a strained relationship between Governor Fubara and his erstwhile political godfather and former governor of the state, Nyesom Wike.

Wike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), currently serves as a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister under President Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

At the height of the crisis last year, 27 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly dumped the PDP for the APC. The lawmakers, led by the Speaker, are loyal to Wike and accused Governor Fubara of starving them of funds.

The lawmakers have also been having a strained relationship with the governor and attempted to impeach him in the heat of the political crisis in the state before President Bola Tinubu intervened and invited the feuding parties to Abuja which gave birth to an eight-point resolution.

An international drug syndicate with networks in parts of Nigeria, South Africa and Thailand has been smashed by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Also, no fewer than five members of the cartel were arrested in a two-week intelligence led operation in Lagos, Abia and Anambra states following the seizure of their illicit drug consignments at the NAHCO import shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja Lagos.

This was disclosed in a Sunday statement by NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, saying the unravelling of the drug cartel started on Sunday 20th April when their cargo of four big suitcases arrived at the NAHCO shed on an Air Peace airline flight from Johannesburg, South Africa.

He said that the first suspect, Umeh Chisom Peter was arrested on Wednesday 24th April after he showed up to pick up two of the suitcases containing Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis owned by a Thailand-based member of the syndicate, Obum Michael.

According to Babafemi, the consignment of four parcels was concealed in false bottoms of the two suitcases, while the four suitcases contain a total of 17.6 kilograms Loud and drug candies.

He said another member of the syndicate, Mrs. Chiwendu Uche Ugbe whose South Africa based husband, Aloytus Uche Ugbe sent some of the consignments, was traced to Anambra state where NDLEA officers arrested her on Saturday 27th April while attempting to collect the drug parcels sent to her by her husband.

Two other suspects: Onyejakor Francis Chimezie and Naaji Valentine Chukwukere, with links to the cartel, were also arrested in parts of Lagos on Monday 29th April.

He stated that their arrest led to another operation in Abia state where Mrs. Chinazo Osigwe was arrested when she was to pick up some of the parcels containing Loud and drug candies sent by her husband, Osigwe Chidiebere Anthony who is equally operating from South Africa.

Operatives of the Anambra State police command have arrested seven suspected cultists terrorising residents of Awka, the state capital.

The police spokesperson in the state, Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday night.

Ikenga, a superintendent of police, said the suspects were arrested at about 10 p.m. on Friday.

How they were arrested
The police spokesperson said some police operatives from the Special Anti-Cult Squad were on patrol along UNIZIK Junction in the area on the fateful day.

He said that at the junction, the operatives intercepted a tricycle and arrested five male occupants of the tricycle, including its rider.

“Operatives in a bid to question them, the occupants took to their heels. While the others escaped, Chukwuemka Ozoekwe was arrested,” he said.

Ikenga said Mr Ozoekwe later led the police operatives to their hideout where two other suspects – Chidozie Anagor, 18, and Chukwuemeka Oyeoka, 18 – were arrested.

“Also during the raid operation in their harbour, the operatives arrested Ebuka Okoye, 17, Olisa Obi, 19, Chidubem Nwakwu, 20, and Nwankwo Kosisochukwu,” he said.

“During interrogation, the suspects confessed to being members of Vipers Cult Group. They are one of the gangs terrorising Awka metropolis recently.

“The suspects also confessed that they were on a mission to rob the road users of their phones and personal belongings before the arrest,” the police spokesperson added.

He said two fleeing suspects – Makuo Nwosu and a yet-to-be-identified male – were declared wanted by the police.

Commissioner speaks
Reacting, the Acting Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Fidelis Ogarabe, charged the operatives to sustain the fight against criminals in the state, Mr Ikenga said.

Mr Ogarabe, the deputy commissioner of police in charge of finance and administration, promised to repay residents of the state for their confidence in the police in the state.

The acting police commissioner directed that all the suspects should be charged in court upon conclusion of investigations.

Background
There have been cult-related attacks and killings in Awka, the Anambra State capital, in recent times.

Several persons were reported killed in cult-related attacks in the last two months in the state capital.