CRIME Wike: SARS aiding, abetting crime in Rivers

Police officers attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) are aiding and abetting crime in Rivers State, Governor Nyesom Wike has said.

Wike, who spoke during a press briefing in Port Harcourt, yesterday, said the Rivers State SARS commander and his operatives have been indicted by an official Police Signal, which indicated that they were responsible for the series of kidnapping and deadly robbery across the state.

“I want to let you know that those who believe and serve God with their heart will be victorious at the end. I wrote to the Inspector General of Police about certain security personnel in the state.

“On the 11th of this month some people went to a residence to kidnap somebody. The victims were driven in a vehicle to bank to withdraw the sum of N500,000 ransom.

“The kidnap victim’s brother called in the IGP Special AntiRobbery Squad who responded and engaged the suspected criminals, who were in SARS uniform, in a gun battle.

“After a very close observation it was discovered that the deceased was one of the SARS operatives that was implicated in a video clip during the rerun election in the state.”

Wike said most of the armed robbery incidents in the state were perpetrated by men of SARS to create the impression that the state was not safe.

“I have spent so much in security. I gave out recently four brand new Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) to police. I also gave out Hilux trucks to police all to fight crime in the State. We want to let the world know what is going on in Rivers State.

“If this did not happen we would not have known that SARS operatives are involved in crime,” he added.