Bright Amaewhule, the special adviser to Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on task force against Street trading and illegal parking has denied reports his men are responsible for the death of a Hausa man in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
The septuagenarian was allegedly killed when task force operatives invaded the area.
Amaewhule had said during a radio program on Wednesday that the man was charged to court by the task force team and on discovering that he was having health challenges, they brought him back to the presidential bus stop and on alighting from the vehicle, he walked few meters and slump and died.
He further said in a statement that the task force was not set up by the state government to kill Nigerian citizens.
According to him: “Rivers State Government did not initiate the taskforce to kill any of her citizens, rather it is aimed at restoring sanity and standard way of living among its citizens.
“Therefore, the taskforce dissociates itself from information being peddled by those who seek to defame the Rivers State Government in such a negative manner.
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“The State Government has already swung into action to actually know the cause of his death. We urge all to be law-abiding and continue with their normal activities, as everything is under control.
“Lastly, I want to send a strong warning to those peddling fake news about the Rivers State TaskForce on Illegal Street Trading/ Illegal Motor Parks/ Illegal Mechanic Workshops to desist from such act or face the law if caught”.
Meanwhile, the Arewa Consultative Forum has called for calm over the death of the Hausa man.
Chairman of Arewa Consultative Forum, South-South and South-East, Alhaji Musa Saidu said that they are not against efforts of Rivers State Government to keep the state clean but they condemn actions of some of the task force members.
He called on the Rivers Police Command to investigate the death of the septuagenarian and bring the perpetrators to book.
He alleged that the task force officials wanted to steal from the deceased Hausa man who deals on woman wears which led to his death.
