‘DSS is telling lies,’ Wike says

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has said that the Department of State Services (DSS) is telling false stories to justify its recent arrest of some judges in different areas of the country.

Wike is said to have been harassed by the DSS operatives while trying to protect one judge from arrest.

He made the comments on Saturday, October 8, during a special dinner for the management and players of Rivers United Football Club of Port Harcourt, Leadership reports.

“Their blackmail stories will not move me. They will concoct all kinds of stories to justify this undemocratic illegality perpetrated against the judiciary,” Wike said.

“It is really unfortunate that DSS would concoct a false defence that $2million USD (that is N900million) was found in the house of the judge. It is unfortunate that the DSS is coming up with flimsy excuses.

“In the police, erring and corrupt policemen are first given orderly room trial, sacked and then appropriately prosecuted. For judicial officers, the DSS has no role.

“This impunity must stop. I am not in support of any judicial support being involved in corruption. What we are saying is that the right things must be done. We must not do things that will jeopardize our hard earned democracy.

“If they had abducted the judge, they may go ahead to kill the judge and they will say that Rivers State is insecure. The way things are going nobody should relax. Freedom comes with sacrifice. Independence comes with sacrifice. Liberty comes with sacrifice.

“We must resist this injustice. Nobody can intimidate Rivers people. If you use to do that, not now. I am informing you before you will read whatever lies they wiĺl circulate in newspapers.

“I was there with our State and National Assembly members, Former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Austin Opara , the PDP Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah and some caretaker chairmen. When they said I was with thugs I just laughed,” he added.

The judges were arrested between Friday, October 7 and Saturday, October 7 in an operation which saw the DSS recovering more than $800,000 in cash.

Meanwhile, Rivers State Police Commissioner, Francis Odesanya, is said to be facing a sanction for helping Wike to protect the accused judge.

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The judges involved are Justice Sylvester Ngwuta (Supreme Court); Justice John Okoro (Supreme Court) and Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court in Abuja.