IGP withdraws police officers from Rivers LGA HQs after 3-month siege
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the immediate withdrawal of police officers from the secretariats of the 23 local government Areas (LGAs) of Rivers State.
The IGP directive ended a three-month siege on the secretariat, which started in June following the disagreement between two factions laying claims to the legitimacy of the councils.
On the one hand, the Caretaker Committee Chairmen, appointed by Governor Siminalayi Fubara and on the other hand, the immediate past local government chairmen, who were loyalists of Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister.
IGP ends 3-month siege on Rivers LG secretariats
However, the Public Relations Officer of Rivers Police Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, announced in a statement on Monday that Egbetokun has directed the officers’ withdrawal with immediate effect.
He said the newly deployed Commissioner of Police in the State, CP Bala Mustapha, conveyed the IGP’s directives to the command.
“The newly deployed State Commissioner of Police, Bala Mustapha, conveyed the directives of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, for the immediate withdrawal of all police personnel previously deployed to seal and safeguard the Local Government Secretariats in the state,” the statement reads.
“The Rivers State Police Command assures the public of its readiness to maintain peace and order across the state and will continue to act professionally in discharging its duties. We urge all residents and stakeholders to remain calm and law-abiding as the situation continues to evolve,” she added.
The development comes barely 24 hours after Fubara sworn in the newly elected local government chairmen into office.
