Follow Us on Google
From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has maintained that the Nigeria Police Force acted professionally in the recent political crisis in Rivers State as a professional organization.
He said that but for the quick intervention of the force, the political crisis in the just concluded local government elections would have resulted to the loss several lives and destruction properties worth billions of naira.
The IGP, made this known during his meeting with Senior Police officers in Abuja.
Fielding questions from journalists during the Conference, the IGP, while noting that the crisis was avoidable in the first instance, however,said that the police stood by the side of the law.
Other News
He said :“On the crisis in Rivers State, the Police did not do anything wrong;they were preparing for the LGAs and we were waiting when a Federal High Court barred the police from participating in the election and a counter order came from the High court that Police should participate in the election.
“We have to pass the two orders to our legal department which advised that the police should stay off as ordered by the Federal High Court, with we have to withdraw from further participation.
“Then, the Commissioner of Police in the state informed me that the state governor has deployed police personnel from the Government House to the Secretariat of the State Electoral Commission with the aim of going ahead with the LG polls and then we have gotten intelligence report about plans cause crisis and then we have to deploy personnel from the command to take charge of the place.
“Then, the elections took place and those elected were sworn in and the police have to unseal the LG Secretariats to allow the new elected officials to assume duties.
“If we are to remain there after the elected officials were sworn in, the police would have been accused of taking sides, we vacated the Secretariats and then crisis erupted, we have to return back to restore peace on the orders of the President to restore peace in the state”. The IGP, said.
