Rivers killings Amaechi weeps as he visits bereaved families

Minister of  Transportation and former governor of Rivers State, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, on Saturday, January 13, wept while addressing the people of Omoku in the state, where many were killed on New Year's Day.
He had paid a condolence visit to the bereaved families, assuring them that the killers will face the wrath of the law.

He said, "The only thing I can assure you is that the perpetrators of this act will be brought to justice. They cannot run away from it. They can’t get away with this.

"I was at the hospital to see a little boy that was shot, and his father and mother killed. How do you want that little boy to live? How would he cope in life? They must pay for their actions."

He, again, blamed the violence on his successor, Governor Nyesom Wike whom he said failed to protect the lives of Rivers people.

Amaechi stated this at another event but on the same day - in Isiokpo, where the Ikwerre Youth Movement held a grand reception in his honour.

He said, "The first responsibility of a leader is to keep his subjects alive. The reason why the constitution puts every governor on oath, to swear that you will protect lives and property is because if there are no lives, there will be nobody to lead.

"If there is anybody on earth that said that I have met with him as a cultist to take lives, let him come forward. If there is anybody on earth that will tell you that I have sat with him in a meeting and we planned to go and kill people to win election, let the person come forward.

"Let me tell you why I will not do such; it is not because I’m afraid of anybody, it is because I’m afraid of God.

"I doubt that God was happy the day they killed 23 persons in Omoku. I doubt that God was happy the day they killed people in Omerelu or at Egbeda or at Andoni or at Ogbunabali or wherever."

On January 1, 2018, gunmen opened fire on worshippers, who were returning from crossover service at a church in Omoku, killing 23 of them.

The alleged mastermind of the killings, Don Waney and some other members of his gang have been killed while others are in custody.