The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has reacted to allegations levelled against it by the Governor of Rivers state, Siminalayi Fubara, maintaining that its actions in the state have been in conformity with the subsisting court order.
The reactions were contained in a statement issued by the Force spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi late Friday.
In refuting the allegations, the NPF clarified that following a court order served both it and the Rivers state government barring the NPF from participating in the state elections, the IGP instructed the Commissioner of Police in state to strictly adhere to this court order by refraining from any direct involvement in the election process.
However, on the evening of 3rd October, 2024, the state CP 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”, the NPF said.
The NPF noted 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” the statement said, adding for emphasis that the policemen deployed to RIEC from the operations department of Rivers State Command on the night of 3rd October, 2024 were given 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”, the NPF maintained.
The Force said it was 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.”
While taking exception to the unwarranted outburst of the governor and the weighty accusations he leveled against the IGP, the NPF advised Fubara to tread with caution and decency in the pursuit of individual political goals.
“Threatening to shed blood and to burn down the State because of a Local Government election is not acceptable to us. The Nigeria Police Force is committed to 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”, Adejobi stated.
He added that the IGP has ordered increased deployment into Rivers State to beef up security throughout the state, and advised its citizens to go about their lawful businesses.
