“I Have No Links to Militants” – Fubara Fires Back, Cautions Bloggers

Rivers State’s suspended governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has disassociated himself from a widely shared video that connected his followers to a terrorist organization in the Niger Delta and the explosion of the state’s gas and oil infrastructure.
The governor said that the video recordings are malicious and fraudulent in a statement released on Monday by his chief press secretary, Nelson Chukwudi.
The localities where the purported events took place, he pointed out, have already rejected “any claims of explosions on oil and gas facilities in their domains.”

Fubara “has no link to any militant group, does not contemplate any such association, and has no reason to encourage any criminal group or elements, anywhere in the State or Niger Delta, to undertake any action inimical to the peace of the people or safety and security of oil and gas facilities, and by extension, the economy of the country,” according to the governor’s spokesperson. The governor had stated at every public event that maintaining the peace in the State is of utmost importance to him and that he would pay any cost to ensure its continuation, since development and governance can only flourish in such an environment.

The governor’s name should not be used, he added, and those who support violence and economic sabotage in the state should not try to “capitalize on the present political crisis to foment trouble in the State.”

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“It is also crucial to caution bloggers and social media hirelings to immediately halt their campaign to sow discord, chaos, and anarchy in the State, as their fabricated posts and reports over the past few days have led to enough poor decisions that would hinder the State’s progress.

According to the statement, “security agencies should take note of these fake videos intended to mislead the public and further paint the State in a negative light, and take all necessary steps to contain them and bring those behind them to book.”