Rivers elections: Why we withdrew policemen - IGP Egbetokun

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun says that policemen were withdrawn from local government headquarters following the election of democratically elected chairmen.

He explained that since the elections had been concluded, there was no longer a need to maintain a police presence at the local government secretariats.

It would be recalled that after the Chairmen were sworn into office and asked to go resume at the Secretariats, suspected thugs attacked and set some of the LGs ablaze while destroying many government properties.

Speaking on the development during a meeting with Police Strategic Commanders in Abuja on Tuesday, IGP Egbetokun said, "We were not supposed to have any issues in Rivers. The issues were avoidable. We acted very professionally and followed legal and democratic tenets.

"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.

'As IGP I sent the 3 different court orders to our Legal department because we have very sound lawyers including a Senior Advocate of Nigeria for advice. The advice was that we should go with Federal High Court order and stay off.

"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 secretariat.

"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.

Meanwhile, IGP disclosed that a total of 369 kidnapped victims were rescued between July and and October in different Police operations while 416 firearms of various makes were recovered and 178 stolen vehicles were retrieved.

He said 3,672 rounds of ammunition of different calibers were seized and a total of 10,852 suspects were arrested across the country."

He continued, "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.

"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."

He said patrols would be increased and other measures would be put in place to ensure the security of lives and properties throughout the ember months.

"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."