Exclusive: How Wike’s CSO undermined state security, stole N100 Million monthly from security vote

Mike Wabali

Promise Nwosu, Governor Nyesom Wike’s Chief Security Officer is not new to security management in Rivers State.

In the days when the then Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mbu held sway in the state, Nwosu was the head of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, which became a thorn in the flesh of the then governor and current minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and the newly formed All Progressives Congress, APC.

At the height of politicking in 2015 which pitched the minister against his associate; the then minister of state for Education and current governor of the state, Nyesom Wike, Amaechi accused Mbu of detailing DCP John Amadi, DC Operations and Promise Nwosu, head of SARS to assassinate Dakuku Peterside, the current Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, who was then the APC gubernatorial candidate.

After winning the keenly contested election in 2015, Wike made Nwosu his chief security officer, a position which puts him in charge of the governor’s personal security and coordination of government house’s response to internal security by the police.

He was also in charge of distributing funds to different police units in the state like the C4I and the newly formed Operation Sting.

However, this position afforded him the opportunity to undermine security in the state by withholding funds meant for different police units, especially the C4I and Operation Sting.

In 2016, Nwosu was redeployed by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris for his involvement in a protest by the All Progressives Congress.

The police said Nwosu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, was withdrawn for being involved in a demonstration organised by the All Progressives Congress, APC, against Mr Wike.

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A statement signed by the police spokesman, Don Awunah, said the protest took place in downtown Port Harcourt on November 17.

Mr Awunah said Mr Promise was seen dealing with the APC supporters in a manner that was “prejudicial to discipline” and “unexpected of an officer of his calibre and office.”

Consequently, the Inspector General of Police “ordered the redeployment of Mr Promise pending further disciplinary actions” following an initial query issued to him.

The police, nonetheless, said Mr Wike had the privilege to select another CSO from a pool of police officers operating in the Rivers State Police Command.

“The governor, as the Chief Security Officer of the state, is at liberty to select any officer of his choice from the strength of the command to serve as his CSO,” Mr Awunah said.

“But under no circumstance should any officer abandon the security of his principal and legitimate duties to engage in direct partisan politics.”

The police denied tampering with Mr Wike’s security after the governor said that his CSO and other security personnel attached to him and the Government House in Port Harcourt were withdrawn, Premium Times had reported.

Mr Awunah’s statement was silent about the other officers’ withdrawn as alleged by the governor.

A few months later, Nwosu was brought back as Wike’s Chief Security Officer.

A government house source who craved anonymity told theportcitynews on Tuesday that Nwosu enriched himself to the tune of over 100 million monthly by shortchanging different police units and security chiefs assigned to restore peace in the state.

This illegal shortchange, the source said, resulted in the intensified killings and kidnapping in the state which went on unchallenged for months as funds meant for the different police units either did not get to them or was not enough.

He said the insecurity in the state has been giving the governor sleepless night, adding that persons in security business saw it as an opportunity to enrich themselves.

How His Escapade Was Unveiled.

Following the inauguration of a new security outfit code-named ‘Operation Sting’ by Governor Nyesom Wike on July 27 with the mandate to reduce the embarrassing rate of insecurity in the state to the barest minimum, a certain Assistant Commissioner of Police, Shem Evans was made the commander of the police sector of the outfit.

For the police officers drafted to the Operation Sting, the state government made available the sum of 15 million naira which will be released by the government house accountant through Nwosu.

However, instead of releasing the allocated 15 million naira, Nwosu released 8 million monthly to Evans.

Theportcitynews learnt that the worst hit in this corrupt enrichment was the C4I whose monthly allocation of 32 million was reduced to 13 million, thereby incapacitating the once vibrant unit in its drive to checkmate the inflow of guns into the state.

However, out of the 8 million provided to the commander of Operation Sting, little of the money trickled down to the field officers as they regularly complained of inability to fuel the state government-assigned vehicles or cater for their feeding.

A police source also confirmed to theportcitynews that the Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Dandaura was also informed by the commander that about 1 million is given to the outfit by the state government monthly, forcing the CP to scramble for funds to ensure the unit keeps to its mandate.

As the corruption went on unchallenged, the commander met with an influential member of Brick House cabal (Name withheld) and pleaded with him to plead with the governor to release more funds for their operations as the funds released to them was inadequate.

A surprised Wike explained to the cabal member that enough funds were provided for the police officers in Operation Sting, resulting in an inquiry on funds disbursement from government house to the police.

Nwosu who was queried by Governor Wike and other members of his government on Friday, 18th of October around 10 pm over his activities and mishandling of funds was said to have been barred from the government house after the mind-blowing revelation.

A furious Wike also threatened to prosecute Nwosu and ensure he is jailed for his crimes against the state, Theportcitynews learnt.

On Saturday, 19th of October, the commander of C4I was also invited to the government to explain his role in the scandal.

The commander reportedly told the governor that his unit received 13 million naira monthly from the CSO, adding that they have never been given anything more.

The government source said Wike subsequently invited the commissioner of police who was asked to write the IGP for Shem Evans to be transferred out of the state.

This illegal horse-trading by the CSO led the polarisation of security in the state. Police officers were demoralised, killings and kidnapping increased, the source claimed.

Nwosu was also accused by the governor of using the money meant for security to buy cars for girls. He is also said to own a car stand in Port Harcourt and a hotel at the Choba area of the state.

Theportcitynews contacted Nnamdi Omoni, the public relations officer of the Rivers State Police command, however, he declined to comment on the matter.

Simeon Nwakudu, Wike’s special assistant on media did not respond to calls or text messages sent to his phone.