Rivers State Governor, Sir Similanayi Fubara, has declared he will hold Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun accountable for any breakdown of law and order in the state.
In a statement made during a press conference in Port Harcourt, Fubara emphasized the police’s duty to protect lives and property rather than block the operations of the electoral body. This warning comes after Fubara’s surprise visit to the Rivers Independent National Electoral Commission (RISEC) headquarters early Friday, where he intervened to prevent the alleged removal of materials intended for Saturday’s Local Government election.
Fubara revealed he was alerted to a police presence at the RISEC office, despite receiving a prior signal that police protection had been withdrawn. Upon arriving at the scene, he encountered armed police officers attempting to gain access to the facility, which he believes was a coordinated effort by the Nigerian Police Force to seize election materials.
He questioned the rationale behind the police’s actions, particularly in light of a court ruling that seemingly contradicted their approach. Fubara urged all security agencies, including the police and military, to ensure a peaceful election process and reiterated that the Rivers State Government and RISEC had the legal authority to conduct the elections with the 2023 voters register.
News Editor