Rivers: Why I withdrew my men from sealed LG secretariats – IGP
By Idowu Isamotu Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Tuesday, provided an insight into the decision that led to the withdrawal of police operatives that laid siege to the 23 Local Government Secretariats for three months. After Governor Siminalayi Fubara swore in the elected chairmen in Rivers State, Egbetokun ordered his men who had been […]
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By Idowu Isamotu
Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Tuesday, provided an insight into the decision that led to the withdrawal of police operatives that laid siege to the 23 Local Government Secretariats for three months.
After Governor Siminalayi Fubara swore in the elected chairmen in Rivers State, Egbetokun ordered his men who had been at the secretariats since June to leave.
The police boss specifically explained that since the State Electoral body had concluded conduct of the LG elections, and those elected had taken oath of office, there was no need to maintain a police presence at the Secretariats in order not to see the force as partial.
Egbetokun stated this at Force headquarters, Abuja while fielding questions from journalists before he held a closed-door meeting with the senior police officers on the rank of DIGs, AIGs and CPs in preparation for the next gubernatorial election in Ondo State.
Daily Trust had reported how the crisis engulfed the oil-producing State ahead of the LG election over supremacy battle between Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is now the minister of Federal Capital Territory.
“We were preparing for the LG elections in Rivers State when a High Court in Abuja said Police should not take part in the election. A High Court in Rivers said the Police should perform its constitutional role.”
“Another court, this time, a Federal High Court, again came up with an order barring the Police from taking part in the election. Because all our operations are guided by the rule of law, I wrote the governor, intimating him of this decision to stay off the election and that policemen would not be involved.
“Before then, we had intelligence that some persons were planning to attack and burn down the SIEC. So the next day, policemen were deployed to the Rivers State Electoral Commission (River SIEC) to protect the commission.
“The next day, the governor came out making all sorts of allegations including saying that Police were there to tamper with election materials which was unexpected. After the election of the LG chairmen, if we had remained and continued to seal the LGs, we would have been accused of taking sides.
‘That is why we withdrew our men from the Secretariats. However, following the outbreak of violence, and Mr President directed that we restore order, we went back and did so. So, the police only obeyed court orders in its action”.
The top cop, however, directed CPs to increase patrols and embark on intelligence-driven and community-oriented operations to ensure the security of lives and properties throughout the ember months.
He added, “As we continue with the Ember Month, a time traditionally associated with heightened security challenges, the imperative for vigilance, enhanced flexibility, and proactive policing becomes even more critical.
“Criminal elements frequently exploit this season, necessitating our strategic foresight to stay ahead. Our approach should include increased patrols and intelligence-driven and community-oriented operations to ensure public safety throughout the holiday period.
“It is crucial that we intensify our efforts to secure all areas, particularly urban and semi-urban centres, major highways, and to collaborate effectively with other security agencies and stakeholders to bolster security nationwide.”
He also assured that the police were adequately preparing for the Ondo election, adding that the mission of the police was to provide a secure environment where voters would freely exercise their democratic rights without fear or intimidation.
According to him, “As we prepare for the upcoming Ondo State off-cycle gubernatorial election, I urge all involved to replicate and build upon the successes recorded in the Edo State election.
“We must ensure a robust security architecture and that officers perform their duties with impartiality and the highest professionalism. Our mission is to provide a secure environment where voters can freely exercise their democratic rights without fear or intimidation.
“We will continue to collaborate with other security agencies, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and stakeholders to ensure that the Ondo State election is conducted freely, fairly, and credibly, empowering all voters to exercise their rights without any fear of intimidation.”
On the achievement of the police, Egbetokun said no fewer than 10,852 suspects were arrested between July and October 2024, adding that a total of 416 arms, 3,672 ammunition and 178 vehicles were recovered within the period under review.
He said, “Recent statistics indicate a substantial decrease in crime rates in key areas, including significant strides in combating violent crimes such as banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, and cybercrime.
“From July to October this year, the Nigeria Police Force successfully rescued 369 kidnapped victims, recovered 416 firearms of various makes, retrieved 178 vehicles, and seized 3,672 rounds of ammunition of different calibre. Additionally, a total of 10,852 suspects were arrested across the country.”