IGP orders withdrawal of officers deployed to seal Rivers LGA HQs

Kayode Egbetokun, inspector-general of police, has ordered the immediate withdrawal of police personnel from the secretariats of the 23 LGAs of Rivers state.

The officers had been deployed to “seal and safeguard” the LG secretariats.

Grace Iringe-Koko, police spokesperson in Rivers, announced the development in a statement on Monday.

“The newly deployed State Commissioner of Police, Bala Mustapha, conveyed the directives of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, for the immediate withdrawal of all police personnel previously deployed to seal and safeguard the Local Government Secretariats in the state,” the statement reads.

In June, the secretariats were sealed over the rivalry between caretaker committee chairpersons loyal to Siminalayi Fubara, the Rivers governor; and chairpersons who owe fealty to Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT).

Iringe-Koko said the directive “is in line with the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to ensure neutrality and the smooth functioning of democratic institutions”.

“Consequently, the IGP has ordered the unsealing of the Local Government Secretariat, which were earlier secured by police personnel,” she added.

“The police will only be redeployed to these locations in the event of any crisis or breakdown of law and order, in which case emergency measures will be swiftly implemented to restore normalcy.

“The Rivers State Police Command assures the public of its readiness to maintain peace and order across the state and will continue to act professionally in discharging its duties.

“We urge all residents and stakeholders to remain calm and law-abiding as the situation continues to evolve.”

The development comes barely 24 hours after Fubara swore in 23 newly elected local government chairpersons.

Before the poll, Fubara alleged that the IGP was taking orders from Wike — a claim the police refuted.

Rivers state has been embroiled in crisis due to the rift between Fubara and Wike over control of the political structure of the state.