By Gideon Njoku.
The sudden release of the 22 Exxon Mobil Oil Offshore staff from forced isolation, by the Rivers State Government, Sunday afternoon, took most people by surprise.
Nobody expected it, at least, not after the broadcast by the Governor, Nyesom Wike, a Lawyer.
Wike had, according to him, contrary to the advice of the leaderships of Security agencies in the state, insisted on the arrest, isolation and prosecution of the 22 Oil Workers.
The Workers, with Police escorts, were on their way to Onne Rivers State, from Akwa Ibom state.
But they were, inexplicably intercepted by Security personnel, at Bori, a border town between Akwa Ibom -Rivers state. All explanations, fell on deaf ears, even with a letter and Identity Cards which explained who they were, and their mission.
Recall that the Federal Government had excluded essential workers from any harassment. Such workers include, most importantly, oil workers and Health Personnel.
It is still hazy how Wike heard, or knew of their presence at the border town. Because, if the security agents had simply sent them back to Akwa Ibom, from where they came, (which they eventually suggested to the Governor), without making a mountain out of a molehill, the Governor would just have heard it as a story. And perhaps laughed over it.
But, the cup of the now removed Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Dandaura seemed full.
The CP had gone through that route with Wike during the Caverton Helicopters episode. Caverton had landed at the Airforce base, PH. Both the CP and the Airforce Commander, alerted the governor.
He arrived, and had the two Pilots and ten passengers,(passengers were Nigerians, not foreigners,as was erroneously put out), arrested, put in PH’s Correctional Centre, and arraigned before a Magistrate Court. They were there in detention for days, until they were granted bail, reportedly, because Aviation associations were threatening fire and brimstone.
The Governor did not stop at that, he declared the Company, persona non grata in Rivers State, and sealed their offices.
What aggravated the case was the reactions by the CP and and the Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika.
While the CP, shockingly, said that perhaps, they were sent deliberately to disrupt the peace in the state, the Minister was arrogant in his. He not only dismissed the CP and the Airforce Commander as ignorant, he also hinted that the Governor was also ignorant, telling him, like a headmaster would, that he was straying into an Exclusive List. Aviation, he began to teach Wike, was a Federal concern.
The main reason the CP lost his plum job in Rivers was his reaction to the Carverton incident. However, on Saturday, Wike hinted at peace efforts, waiving a letter of apology written to him by Carverton.
In the instant case, once Wike was notified, the situation took a larger than life dimension.
He had the 22 oil workers arrested, and swore that he would charge them to court after they would have been through with their 14 days quarantine period.
Wike roared:” We will fight this matter legally. Exxon Mobil does not operate in Rivers State. That they have a point at Onne seaport does not mean that they operate in Rivers State. People in Abuja are not happy. They want Rivers State to be infected. They want to kill Rivers people, and I will not allow it.
People selling Ankra are being arrested in Lagos, but they want us to allow oil companies to flout the law.”
He also strayed into other areas which had no connection with and/or to the case at hand.
Condemnations over his language were like claps of thunder. The Rivers Leadership Advancement Foundation, RIVLEAF, accused the Governor of boastfulness and vengeance. Its Director of Communications,
Onyeche Peters in a statement said Wike’s action against Exxon Mobil was not in the interest of the state.
“Time and time again, Governor Wike speaks as if he had conquered the state, as if he is the owner, creator, and benefactor of Rivers State; he speaks as if he inherited the state from his father.”, Peters said.
But what may have forced Wike to walk back the road was the reaction from the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association, PENGASSAN. Those arrested were their members and the Chief Security Officer of Exxon Mobil.
Reacting, the Association gave the the RVSG until 12 mid night, Sunday, to release their members, or they would pull their members off work.
PENGASSAN’s threat, and the intervention by a number of high profile Nigerians, who reportedly intervened because, one, they felt the Governor was crossing the red line, and two, the implication of PENGASSAN pulling out its staff, did the magic.
The Governor was said to have put two and two together, and walked back his track.
Announcing their release, Rivers State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Professor Zaccheus Adangor, said they were unconditionally released, and would no longer be charged to Court. He said he personally oversaw their release from the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Porthacourt.
Said, Dr Obinna Okafor, a public commentator: “What is happening between the Federal and the Rivers State Governments is embarrassing.
Rivers State has its own Executive Order on movements due to COVID-19. There is nothing wrong in calling the Governor to notify him on such movements. These guys are on an ego trip”.
