Rivers crisis: Police declare ex-militant leader ‘General Asabuja’ wanted

Police authorities in Rivers State have declared a former Niger Delta militant leader Gabriel ‘General’ Asabuja wanted.

The Rivers State Commissioner for Police Tunji Disu said this yesterday on Channels Television.

Asabuja was seen in a viral video making some strong comments amid the local government council crisis rocking Rivers State.

‘He is Wanted!’

But Disu has condemned the action, saying, “That video caused a lot of panic in the state. It gives a lot of concern to everybody even out of the state. I want to assure you that we are not going to take kindly to that. We have put actions in motion. We would get him at the appropriate time. We have gotten a lot of people of his kind.

“You cannot prepare a video and start firing and threatening people not to move around and do what they are expected to do in town and expect the police will fold their hands. We are working towards it. We have invited him and he does not want to come but we will do what we want to do. We are looking out for him.”

“He is wanted. That is correct,” the Rivers State Commissioner said.

River State has been embroiled in crisis since late last year following a fallout between Governor Sim Fubara and his predecessor Nyesom Wike.

The latest in the trend is the crisis over the leadership of local government councils. The tenure of the chairpersons, their deputies, and councilors ended earlier in the month, prompting Governor Fubara to swear in a caretaker committee.

That move did not go well with Wike’s loyalists who claim the governor’s action was wrong. There have been protests, claims, and counter-claims since then.

But police authorities in the state have warned against violence, saying they are ready to deal with anyone who foments trouble in the state.