A former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mike Okiro, has called on warring factions in the Rivers political crisis to sheath their swords, and let peace reign.
Okiro, who made the call at a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja, said that it is only dialogue among the parties that can resolve the crisis.
The Supreme Court, on Friday, ordered the Martin Amaewhule-led faction of the Rivers State House of Assembly and other members of the House to resume sitting unhindered.
The Amaewhule-led faction on Monday gave Governor Siminalayi Fubara 48 hours to re-present the 2025 budget to the House.
The apex court also ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to withhold allocations to the state for disobeying court orders.
It further nullified the local government elections conducted in the state in 2024.
Okiro said that he has taken it upon himself to engage elders and traditional leaders in the state to find a lasting solution to the crisis.
“We cannot sit down and watch the gladiators fight and make Rivers a no-go area. The state has contributed a lot to the economy of the country.
“Rivers is a symbol of our economic strength. We must embrace peace for national development, “he said.
He urged traditional rulers, elders, religious leaders and other critical stakeholders in the state to see reason and come together to engage the warring factions.
“The stakeholders should come together and meet the factions one-on-one to find a lasting solution to the crisis,“he said.
Okiro, who enjoined the parties to obey the court orders, appealed to members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to sheath their swords and embrace peace.
He also pleaded with President Bola Tinubu not to relent in his efforts to intervene in the crisis in order to bring lasting peace to the state.
“I urge Mr President to intervene in the Rivers crisis; he should not be tired of finding a solution to the problem as the father of the nation.
“On my part, I will meet non-partisan indigenes of the state to talk to the warring factions on the need to make peace in Rivers, as there is no problem without a solution.
“Rivers is a very important state in Nigeria. If there is a problem in the state today, it will also affect the entire country negatively,“he said.
According to Okiro, “as a Rivers indigene and a Nigerian, I cannot sit on the fence and watch the crisis in the state to degenerate further”.
