By Adewole Kehinde
Three months ago, the Nigeria Police, in line with its constitutional power to protect the lives and property of the citizens and enforce the laws and order in the society, took over the 23 local government secretariats in Rivers State.
In June 2024, a disagreement between the Caretaker Committee Chairmen loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the immediate past local government chairmen, who were loyalists of Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), led to the lockdown of the secretariat.
A disagreement between the Caretaker Committee Chairmen loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the immediate past local government chairmen, loyalists of Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, resulted in the secretariat being sealed in June.
The state witnessed relative peace as a result of police taking over the 23 local secretariats in Rivers State.
However, the state government announced the preparation of the governor for a local government election.
The decision of Governor Siminalayi Fubara to conduct a local government election made the opposition secure a court order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing voters registered to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
The Nigeria Police Force was served with an order of injunction by the Federal High Court made on the 19th of July, 2024, barring the Police from participating in the LG election, deeming it unlawful.
Also, the Rivers State High Court issued a counterorder on the 4th of September, 2024, directing the Nigeria Police Force and other federal security agencies to provide security at the local government elections even though the Nigeria Police was not joined as a party in this suit.
In another development, the Federal High Court that gave the earlier injunction delivered judgement on September 30, 2024, nullifying all previous activities carried out in respect of the local government election and ordering the police to stay away from any attempt to provide security during the said election.
After all of the orders and counterorders were served on the Nigeria Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun—a thoroughbred dedicated to functioning within the law—forwarded the three court orders to the Force Legal division for opinion.
Based on the legal advice received from the Force Legal Office, IGP Egbetokun ordered the Rivers State Police Command to abide by the ruling of the Federal High Court and also communicated the same to the Governor of Rivers State via a letter with reference number CH:3514/IGP.SEC/ABJ/VOL.38/260 dated October 2, 2024, where the IGP advised the Governor to also abide by the Court ruling in the interest of peace and well-being of the people of Rivers State.
However, in line with its constitutional power to protect the lives and property of the citizens and enforce the laws and order in society, policemen were drafted to the premises of RSIEC in the early hours of Friday.
Unfortunately, the State Governor accused the Inspector General of Police and the entire Nigeria Police Force of serving the interests of an Abuja-based politician to scuttle the LG elections.
It is so unfortunate that a governor could talk recklessly to a fine and easy-going Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
For those who know the person of the Inspector General of Police, they can say boldly that IGP Egbetokun has never disobeyed any court and he will never do that, no matter who the person is.
The Inspector General of Police, on swearing in of the newly elected Local Government Chairmen and their councillors, ordered the Nigeria Police to leave the premises of all the Local Government Secretariat in Rivers State.
The purpose is to allow the elected chairmen and their councillors to settle down for their constitutional duties.
On Monday, 7th October 2024, Rivers State witnessed widespread violence, involving shootings, burning, and protests across several local government secretariats, all to prevent the newly-elected chairmen of local governments from taking over the council secretariats.
The violence started a few hours after the Rivers State Police Command announced its withdrawal from the secretariats that it had sealed up since early July on the orders of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun.
Some of the local governments that were torched included Eleme, whose sections of the secretariat were reportedly discovered in flames by the chairman, Brain Gokpa when he arrived at the place with his supporters to assume office.
Ikwerre local government area was also torched by the protesters who set ablaze the recently constructed administrative block, one of the celebrated achievements of Samuel Nwanosike, the former elected chairman.
Gunmen reportedly chased the new chairman and his supporters out of the secretariat before setting the place on fire.
Same for the Emohua local government, which was also reportedly set ablaze by the same set of hoodlums later in the day. Some youths were reported to have blocked the entrance of the secretariat, chanting songs and insisting that the new chairman, David Omereji, would not be allowed to take office.
Violence also erupted in Obio/Akpor LGA, where bottles were thrown during a confrontation, although the police successfully contained the situation.
Shootings were reported in Khana Local Government Area, as one person was feared killed during sporadic gunfire on the road leading to the Rector’s Lodge.
Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Action Peoples Party (APP) reportedly clashed in a protest at the Khana council secretariat following the withdrawal of the police from the area.
In Ahoada East Council Secretariat, the Army was said to have taken over the area as one person, suspected to be the brother of the Chief of Staff, Government House was shot dead and others injured by bullets.
Initial attempts by the thugs to block access to the secretariat were disallowed after a shooting incident, leaving three people injured with bullet wounds.
I strongly believe that Governor Fubara instigated most of these crises to embarrass the Nigerian police, as his previous utterances have indicated.
I must commend President Bola Tinubu for urging Governor Siminalayi Fubara, political leaders, and their supporters in Rivers State to exercise restraint and uphold the rule of law.
President Tinubu urged the political actors and their supporters to settle their differences in court, saying, “Self-help has no place in a democratic system.”
The president’s admonition follows reports of arson and vandalism of public facilities in Rivers State after last Saturday’s local government elections.
President Tinubu directed the police to restore and maintain peace, law, and order immediately.
It is high time all political actors in Rivers State de-escalate the situation and discourage their supporters from engaging in violence or destructive actions.
Governor Fubara should take advantage of the judiciary to settle any political disputes he has with his party.
The Rivers State Governor should come out openly to apologise to the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, and the entire Nigeria Police.
A governor of his status should mind his utterance, especially against a security agency mandated constitutionally to protect the lives and property of the citizens and enforce the laws and order in the society.
Adewole Kehinde is a public affairs analyst based in Abuja. 08166240846. kennyadewole@gmail.com
