The Rivers State Police Command has unsealed all 23 Local Government Area (LGA) secretariats following the election and swearing-in of new council chairmen.

In a statement released on Monday, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed that the newly appointed Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Bala, acting on the directive of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, ordered the immediate withdrawal of police personnel deployed to secure the secretariats.

The LGAs had been sealed in June due to a dispute between caretaker committee chairmen loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara and former council chairmen aligned with Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

This development follows Governor Fubara’s swearing-in of 23 newly elected local government chairmen at the Government House Executive Council Chambers in Port Harcourt on Sunday, a day after the Rivers State Independent National Electoral Commission (RSIEC) conducted elections at the grassroots level.

Full Statement from the Police:

“In light of recent political developments in Rivers State, the newly appointed Commissioner of Police, CP Bala Mustapha, conveys the directives of the IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, for the immediate withdrawal of all police personnel previously deployed to secure the Local Government Area secretariats. This decision aligns with the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to ensuring neutrality and supporting the smooth functioning of democratic institutions.

As such, the IGP has ordered the unsealing of the LGAs, which were earlier secured by police personnel. Police forces will only be redeployed in the event of any crisis or breakdown of law and order, with emergency measures being swiftly implemented to restore normalcy.

The Rivers State Police Command reassures the public of its readiness to maintain peace and order across the state and will continue to perform its duties professionally. We encourage all residents and stakeholders to remain calm and law-abiding as the situation progresses.”

Grace Iringe-Koko (ANIPR), Police Public Relations Officer,
Rivers State Police Command
For: The Commissioner of Police
7 October 2024