Rivers State Police Commander Refutes Governor’s Claim of Electoral Material Removal Attempts
The Rivers State Police Command has issued a statement refuting allegations made by the state governor, Siminalaiyi Fubara, that police officers were attempting to remove sensitive electoral materials from the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission. According to the police public relations officer, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, the police presence at RSIEC was solely for security purposes, based on intelligence reports of an impending attack on the premises.
The police command stated categorically that the deployment of officers to RSIEC was in response to credible intelligence suggesting that hoodlums were planning an arson attack on the electoral body’s office. The police had earlier withdrawn their officers from RSIEC in compliance with a Federal High Court ruling on September 30, 2024, which prohibited police involvement in the scheduled local government elections.
Iringe-Koko explained that the police officers from the Rivers State Government House were previously deployed at RSIEC, but were promptly withdrawn following the Federal High Court’s directive barring police participation in the elections. The police reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining law and order, with Iringe-Koko emphasizing that their presence at the RSIEC office was purely precautionary.
The police called on all citizens to cooperate and refrain from actions that could disrupt the peace, urging residents to act within the confines of the law. The police commander also assured that they will take all necessary steps to preserve the peace and ensure a safe environment for all.
The governor’s allegation follows an incident on Friday morning, in which men dressed in police uniforms attempted to take over the RSIEC office. This development comes ahead of the state’s October 5 local government election, with the governor reaffirming that the elections will still go ahead as scheduled.
The Rivers State Police Command’s statement aims to allay concerns and reassure residents that the police are dedicated to maintaining peace and stability during the electoral process.
