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Wike Narrates How He Was Arrested Over Alleged Armed Robbery

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Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has narrated how he was arrested in 1998 for alleged armed robbery.

Speaking on Tuesday night at the 65th birthday celebration of Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), Wike remembered how some politicians in Obio-Akpor local council and the police framed him for armed robbery.

Wike said his opponents ganged up against him because he wanted to contest for the office of chairman of Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of River state in 1998.

He stated that it took the intervention of Ukala to secure his release, adding that the lawyer also defended him in court when the politicians tried to prevent him from being sworn into office as the council chairman.

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He said: “Throughout my chairmanship matter in 1998, when we had election down to April 4, 2000, when Supreme Court finally decided my matter, he (Ukala) never took a dime, one naira.

“Then my governorship election, most people may not believe it, from governorship tribunal down to Supreme Court, he never collected one dime.

Wike also narrated how police arrested him and all the male members of his family over a murder charge arising from a chieftaincy dispute.

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The governor said that it took the intervention of Ukala, who was the family lawyer at the time, to secure their release.

Wike also said he worked at Ukala’s firm after he finished law school, describing the senior lawyer as a “refined, disciplined lawyer” and a “worthy mentor”.

He said: “There was a time that the entire family was charged for murder — every male was taken away.

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“We only had women left in the house with children between the ages of 1 and 5. As at that time, I was reading law at then Rivers State University of Science and Technology, now Rivers State University.”