Nigeria Police to Probe Wike’s Alleged Threat to Kill Electoral Officers

The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has raised a panel to probe the controversial audio clip containing threats allegedly made by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike to kill electoral officials who failed to do his bidding after receiving bribes during the Rivers rerun elections.

The panel is bid to investigate all the crises that greeted the Rivers rerun election held last Saturday.

A press statement issued by the Force Spokesperson, Don Awunah, on Saturday, said the police IG was set up the panel in reaction to a statement credited to the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Yakubu Mahmud.

Mahmud was quoted to have said that there were 70 incidents that tended to derail the election.

The investigative team is headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police who has “vast experience in investigation”, and the team has 30 days to complete the investigation and submit report that would be made public.

The statement reads: “IG “has set up a team of detectives and experts to conduct a thorough investigation into the incidents mentioned by the INEC chairman with a view to unravelling those who directly or indirectly are responsible for such incidences and bring them to justice.

“The investigative team is also mandated to conduct forensic analysis on the audio report released by Sahara Reporters purportedly to be the voice of the Executive Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency Chief (Barr.) Nyesom Wike (CON) pertaining to the concluded elections.”

A voice claimed to be that of Wike was heard in the audio saying: “They should return what they gave them or I will kill them.

The statement enjoined the government of Rivers State and INEC to avail the investigative team with facts at their disposal and grant them the desired cooperation and assistance to achieve a comprehensive and conclusive investigation.

“The election observers, civil society groups, Human Rights watchers and other stakeholders are equally called upon to assist the team with valuable information they may have,” the statement said.