Rivers election: Police warn Fubara to be decent with political goals

Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has accused the Nigeria Police Force, including its Rivers State Command, of attempting to steal sensitive election materials, an allegation that has drawn a stern response from the police.

The incident occurred when Governor Fubara, alongside key government officials, stormed the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RIEC) office, allegedly thwarting the police’s attempt to compromise the materials ahead of the upcoming local government elections.

Fubara, during a press conference in Port Harcourt on Friday, vowed to hold the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, responsible if law and order in Rivers State were to break down. The governor accused the police of engaging in unlawful activities and using inappropriate force.

In response, Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, released a statement defending the police’s actions and urging Governor Fubara to exercise caution in his political pursuits. The statement emphasized that the police were merely executing their duty to maintain security at the RIEC office following reports of security threats.

Adejobi said, “It is shocking to see the state governor storming the RIEC office at night, wrongly accusing the police of unlawful duties, deriding the police institution, and using unprintable words to describe the IGP. The Nigeria Police takes exception to the unwarranted outburst and the weighty accusations falsely levied against the IGP and the entire police force.”

Adejobi clarified that a Federal High Court had issued an order barring the Nigeria Police from participating in the Rivers State local government election, and the IGP had instructed the state police commissioner to comply with the order. He explained that the policemen present at the RIEC office were there solely to protect the facility, not to interfere with the election process.

“On the evening of October 3, 2024, the Rivers State police commissioner received reports that policemen from the Government House had been deployed to the RIEC office to assist with election conduct. In response, the IGP authorized the removal of those officers, replacing them with personnel from the operations department tasked with securing the premises overnight,” Adejobi said.

He further noted that this action was a preemptive measure to prevent potential attacks on the RIEC office, especially considering the heightened tensions surrounding court rulings and political unrest in the state.

“The command’s response to securing the RIEC office was both professional and in line with intelligence reports. The officers were deployed to ensure the safety of the election materials and prevent any external interference,” Adejobi added.

The police force called on Governor Fubara to maintain decorum and avoid making baseless accusations, stressing that the police would continue to act within the law to maintain peace and security in Rivers State.

Governor Fubara had earlier warned the IGP to be mindful of his duties and to avoid actions that could escalate tensions in the state, but the police have stood firm in their defense of the actions taken to secure the electoral process. The incident has heightened the political atmosphere in Rivers State ahead of the local government elections.