THE Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has defended its decision to mobilise officers to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSEIC) office on the night of October 3, 2024, following allegations of attempted theft of sensitive election materials by Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
In a statement by the police spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Friday, October 5, the Force stated that its actions were strictly compliant with a Federal High Court order and aimed solely at maintaining security.
It noted that its actions were not to influence the planned local government elections.
Fubara led a delegation to the RSIEC office in the early hours of Friday, October 4, following claims that armed policemen from neighbouring Abia State attempted to infiltrate the facility to seize sensitive electoral materials.
The ICIR reported that the police in Rivers withdrew from the local government election, following the ruling by a Federal High Court in Abuja, which ordered that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should not release the voters register to RSIEC and that the police must refrain from the election.
Acting in accordance with the court’s order, the statement said the IGP ordered the Rivers State Commissioner of Police to ensure that no officers under his command would be involved in the election.
The police action on October 3, and the subsequent confirmation by the NPF might have contradicted the court’s ruling as the police confirmed that it mobilised its officers from the command operations department to replace those deployed by the government from the Rivers Government House to secure the RSIEC’s office.
“In the evening of 3rd October 2024, The commissioner of police in Rivers State received reports that policemen from Rivers State Government House have been deployed to the office of Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to aid the conduct of the election.
“This report was also relayed to the inspector-general of police who gave clearance to the commissioner of Police to withdraw the policemen from the Government House and replace them with policemen from the command operations department. The mandate of the men from the operations department was to provide overnight security for the RSIEC to prevent any attack on the facility,” the statement said in part.
The police further defended their actions, stating that before the incident, there had been multiple security breaches in the state due to a series of court orders and counter-orders, as well as reactions from supporters of various political parties.
Besides, the police argued that their actions were proactive and necessary to prevent violence.
The NPF, however, expressed dismay over Fubara’s response, particularly his dramatic arrival at the RSEIC office, during which he criticised the police presence and accused the IGP of overstepping his bounds.
The police condemned the governor’s use of “unprintable words” and warned against inflammatory rhetoric, including threats to “shed blood” and “burn down” the state due to politics.
Meanwhile, Fubara has insisted that the election would be held, blasting the police for backing out of the exercise.
He said, “Keep your security, I do not need it. It happened in Anambra State. This election must hold on Saturday. The result will be declared, the winners will be sworn in.”
He explained that he was convinced that the July 2024 ruling by the Supreme Court granting autonomy to all 774 local government areas in the country was superior to the Federal High Court’s ruling.
He further argued that local government elections were a state matter, adding that he was ready against all odds to ensure the RSIEC conducted the poll.
The ICIR reported how the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members protested at the headquarters of the Rivers State Police Command and the head office of the State Security Service (SSS) in the state on Thursday, October 3 against the election, urging RSIEC and Fubara’s government to obey the Abuja court’s order.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) members also vowed not to participate in the exercise.
But the PDP in a statement on Friday urged its members to participate in the process, noting that it’s their constitutional right.
The party also warned the police against derailing the nation’s democracy.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M
Nigeria is actually practicing Confused Federalism.