The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the immediate withdrawal of police officers from the 23 local government areas of Rivers State.
The secretariats were sealed in June due to a dispute between Caretaker Committee Chairmen loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara and former local government chairmen aligned with Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.
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On Monday, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, the Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Police Command, announced that the newly appointed Commissioner of Police, CP Bala Mustapha, conveyed the IGP’s directive for the immediate withdrawal of all police personnel assigned to secure the secretariats.
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Koko stated that this decision reflects the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to ensuring neutrality and facilitating 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. 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,” she stated.
This development follows just hours after Fubara swore in the newly elected chairmen and raised concerns about planned violence at local government headquarters in Rivers State.
The governor had accused the IGP of siding with his opponents, an allegation the police denied while advising politicians to be cautious with their statements.
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