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From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Inspector General of Police(IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, Thursday said that the headquarters of all Local Government Areas Secretariat in Rivers state, would remain closed until a court judgement on the controversy over the tenure of local government council chairmen in the State.
Egbetokun, said police personnel currently stationed in all the LGAs, would remain there to maintain law and order amidst the ongoing political tension in the state, which has already claimed the life of a police officer and vigilante leader.
The IGP, made this known while addressing journalists during his meeting with Commissioners of Police and above held at the police force headquarters in abuja.
Egbetokun, while reiterating the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force on the need for preemptive measures to forestall any escalation of violence said, “You are all aware that in what happened two-three days ago, we lost a police inspector. We are sad about that. We don’t want to lose more men.
“We don’t want to lose more Nigerians. We don’t want to lose more citizens of Rivers State. So we have a duty to prevent the breakdown of law and order.
“And that’s why we have our men taking over the secretariat while we await the outcome of the case in court.
“As soon as the court makes its pronouncement, we will remove the barricade. Thank you. “
The state police command had on Tuesday announced that it had taken over all the council headquarters to forestall further bloodshed and to prevent a breakdown of law and order.”
A policeman and a member of a local security outfit were killed during a clash between supporters of the governor and his predecessor, the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, at Eberi-Omuma in the Omuma Local Government Area of the state.
