The Inspector Basic of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, has responded to Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s allegations over the hijacking of the election supplies meant for the Rivers State Native Authorities election.
The IGP’s reply is contained within the press launch under:
PRESS RELEASE
RIVERS ELECTIONS: NPF ACTIONS IN CONFORMITY WITH SUBSISTING COURT ORDER, REMAINS POLITICALLY NEUTRAL
The Nigeria Police Pressure has famous with concern the current statements made by the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency Siminalayi Fubara, during which a number of unfounded allegations had been leveled in opposition to the Workplace of the Inspector-Basic of Police and the Nigeria Police Pressure. In mild of those claims, it has grow to be essential to set the file straight.
Firstly, it is very important make clear that there’s a subsisting Federal Excessive Courtroom order barring the Nigeria Police Pressure from taking part within the Rivers State elections. This order was duly served on each the NPF and the Rivers State Authorities. As a law-abiding establishment, the IGP instructed the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State to strictly adhere to this court docket order by refraining from any direct involvement within the election course of.
Nevertheless, within the night of third October,2024, The commissioner of police Rivers State, acquired studies that policemen from Rivers State Authorities home have been deployed to the workplace of Rivers State Impartial Electoral Fee (RIEC) to help the conduct of the election. This report was additionally relayed to the Inspector-Basic of Police who gave clearance to the Commissioner of Police to withdraw the policemen from the Authorities home and substitute with policemen from the Command Operations division. The mandate of the boys from the Operations Division, was to supply in a single day safety for the RIEC to stop any assault on the power.
Additionally it is vital to notice that previous to this, there had been collection of safety breaches within the state following the spate of court docket orders and counter orders and reactions to them by supporters of the completely different political events concerned. The response of the Command to safe RIEC in a single day was subsequently skilled and supported by the Inspector-Basic of Police. For emphasis sake, the policemen deployed to RIEC from the operations division of Rivers State Command on the night time of third October 2024 had been with the only real mandate to guard the RIEC workplace from assault in a single day. This motion was proactive and attentive to intelligence on the disposal of the State Command.
It’s subsequently surprising to see the state governor storming the RIEC workplace at night time, wrongly accusing the police on lawful duties, deriding the Police establishment and utilizing unprintable phrases to explain the Inspector-Basic of Police. The Nigeria Police takes exception to the unwarranted outburst of the Governor and notably the weighty accusations which he falsely levied in opposition to the Inspector-Basic of Police and the complete Nigeria Police Pressure and advise warning and decency within the pursuit of particular person political objectives.
Threatening to shed blood and to burn down the State due to a Native Authorities election just isn’t acceptable to us. The Nigeria Police Pressure is dedicated to safety of lives and properties and can work with different safety companies in Rivers State to make sure that there is no such thing as a breakdown of legislation and order within the State. To this finish, the Inspector-Basic of Police has ordered elevated deployment into Rivers State to beef up safety all through the state. Residents of Rivers state are suggested to go about their lawful companies.
ACP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, mnipr, mipra, fCAI,FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,FOR: THE INSPECTOR-GENERAL OF POLICE,FORCE HEADQUARTERS,ABUJA.
4TH OCTOBER, 2024.
