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Torkwase Nyiekaa
The member representing Khana/Gokana Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Dumnamene Robinson Dekor, has defended the Executive Chairman of Khana Local Government Area, Chief Thomas Bariere, against what he described as a coordinated campaign of misinformation aimed at discrediting the council’s administration and creating a false impression of insecurity in the area.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Dekor condemned what he called the deliberate circulation of fabricated reports alleging a worsening security situation in Khana, insisting that the claims were intended to undermine the gains recorded under the present local government administration.
According to the federal lawmaker, the allegations were part of an orchestrated effort by individuals opposed to the Chairman’s campaign against criminality and efforts to restore peace across the local government.
“I consider it imperative to unequivocally condemn this orchestrated campaign of calumny, which is designed not only to tarnish the hard-earned reputation of the Chairman but also to undermine the remarkable peace, stability and progress that have been restored to Khana since the assumption of office by the present administration,” he said.
Dekor, who chairs the House Committee on Host Communities, argued that Khana had witnessed significant improvements in security through closer collaboration with security agencies, sustained engagement with community stakeholders and policies aimed at addressing criminal activities.
He maintained that before the current administration assumed office, communities within the local government had contended with security challenges that disrupted economic activities and threatened public safety.
According to him, the Bariere administration has since restored public confidence through deliberate measures to combat cultism, gangsterism, kidnapping and other violent crimes.
The lawmaker alleged that those behind the campaign were individuals whose interests had been affected by the administration’s determination to enforce law and order.
“It is equally important to state that the persistent campaign of falsehood against the Chairman bears all the hallmarks of a desperate attempt by persons whose vested interests have been disrupted by the administration’s uncompromising fight against gangsterism, cultism, criminality and every form of social unrest in Khana,” he stated.
He added that while the administration’s security efforts had earned public support, they had also drawn opposition from those who benefitted from an atmosphere of insecurity.
“The resolve of Chief Hon. Thomas Bariere, PhD, to rid Khana of criminal elements and restore law, order and public confidence has earned him the admiration of law-abiding citizens but has understandably unsettled those who thrive in an atmosphere of fear, violence and lawlessness.”
Dekor said, as the elected representative of the constituency, he could not remain silent while what he described as false narratives were being used to portray Khana negatively.
“Silence in the face of calculated falsehood would amount to complicity, and that is a responsibility I refuse to abdicate,” he said.
He warned those allegedly responsible for sponsoring or circulating false information capable of undermining public peace to desist, stressing that freedom of expression does not extend to defamation, malicious publication or incitement.
The lawmaker further disclosed that anyone found, after investigation, to have financed, coordinated or deliberately disseminated false publications intended to incite the public or damage reputations would be reported to the appropriate security and law enforcement agencies.
“Every applicable law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria—including those relating to cyberstalking, cyberbullying, defamation, malicious publication of false information, incitement, conspiracy and any other relevant offences—will be invoked to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice through due process of law,” he said.
Dekor urged residents of Khana to remain calm, ignore what he described as fabricated reports and continue supporting the local government administration.
“Let it be clearly understood that no amount of propaganda, falsehood or sponsored blackmail can erase the visible progress that the people of Khana are witnessing today.
“Facts remain sacred, and history will always distinguish genuine service from desperate propaganda.”
The statement comes amid increasing political activities and heightened public discourse in parts of Rivers State, where issues relating to security, governance and local administration have remained subjects of public debate. As of the time of filing this report, there was no official response from any individual or group alleged to be behind the claims referenced in Dekor’s statement.
