The Nigeria Police Force has reacted to the comments made by the governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara that the Inspector General of Police (IGP) is working for the erstwhile governor of the state, Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to ensure that the local government election slated to hold on Saturday, October 5, 2024, is put on hold.
Declaratively at the office of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) in Port Harcourt, the state capital, Fubara said “Nothing will stop the local government election in the state from holding.
The Rivers police command had stated that its men would not provide security for the election in compliance with Abuja federal court orders.
Fubara said, “I have to say this on a very strong note. We have been taking enough nonsense from this institution (Police). Everybody is aware of the court’s judgment. Did the ruling specify anywhere that the election should not be held? It (judgment) said don’t give voter register. What are we doing with it? Police, don’t provide security. Is it the same thing as blocking the election? I don’t know what the relationship is between the inspector-general of police and one person who claims he has so much power in this state. I don’t know the relationship because it is beginning to go beyond the normal professional relationship. Did the judgment of the federal high court say election should be barred? Rather, it tactically said don’t provide (security). We don’t need your security. We will provide our security. After all, it happened in Anambra. Go away with your security. But this election must hold. Whatever you want to do, do it. The election will be held, results will be declared, and people will be sworn in.”
In a swift reaction through a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the police said that it noted with concern the statements made by Fubara, in which several unfounded allegations were leveled against IGP Kayode Egbetokun, saying that it would set the record straight.
The statement reads, “Firstly, it is important to clarify that there is a subsisting Federal High Court order barring the Nigeria Police Force from participating in the Rivers State elections. This order was duly served on both the NPF and the Rivers State Government. As a law-abiding institution, the IGP instructed the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State to strictly adhere to this court order by refraining from any direct involvement in the election process.
“However, in the evening of 3rd October,2024, The commissioner of police Rivers State, received reports that policemen from Rivers State Government house have been deployed to the office of Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RIEC) to aid the conduct of the election. This report was also relayed to the Inspector-General of Police who gave clearance to the Commissioner of Police to withdraw the policemen from the Government house and replace with policemen from the Command Operations department. The mandate of the men from the Operations Department, was to provide overnight security for the RIEC to prevent any attack on the facility.
“It is also important to note that prior to this, there had been series of security breaches in the state following the spate of court orders and counter orders and reactions to them by supporters of the different political parties involved. The response of the Command to secure RIEC overnight was therefore professional and supported by the Inspector-General of Police. For emphasis sake, the policemen deployed to RIEC from the operations department of Rivers State Command on the night of 3rd October,2024 were with the sole mandate to protect the RIEC office from attack overnight. This action was proactive and responsive to intelligence at the disposal of the State Command.
“It is therefore shocking to see the state governor storming the RIEC office at night, wrongly accusing the police on lawful duties, deriding the Police institution and using unprintable words to describe the Inspector-General of Police. The Nigeria Police takes exception to the unwarranted outburst of the Governor and particularly the weighty accusations which he falsely levied against the Inspector-General of Police and the entire Nigeria Police Force and advise caution and decency in the pursuit of individual political goals.
“Threatening to shed blood and burn down the State because of a Local Government election is not acceptable to us. The Nigeria Police Force is committed to the protection of lives and properties and will work with other security agencies in Rivers State to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order in the State. To this end, the Inspector-General of Police has ordered increased deployment into Rivers State to beef up security throughout the state. Citizens of Rivers State are advised to go about their lawful businesses.”
