The Police in Rivers State on Monday declared Seimeikumo Debewari, ADC to Governor ChibuikeAmaechi, a deserter from the force.

A statement signed by the assistant commissioner of police, administration, Augustine Sanomi, saidDebewari ceased to be the ADC to the governor with immediate effect for ignoring all lawful directives to see the state commissioner of police and the Inspector-General of Police since July 10 over his role in the fracas at the Rivers State House of Assembly.

He said the whereabouts of Debewari was currently unknown to the police and that the move to declare him a deserter is in line with the Police Act and the Regulation Cap of the Federation of Nigeria 1990.

Sanomi also said the IGP had approved the declaration of Debewari as a deserter from the force.

Also confirming this position, the Nigeria Police Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, said that if a police officer leaves his duty post for 21 consecutive days without permission, the Police Act and regulation authorises the force to declare the officer a deserter.

Mba told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, that “being a deserter is an offence because the officer involved can be arrested without a warrant of arrest”.

Mba also said that it was within the purview of a state commissioner of police to declare an officer a deserter in the force.