The Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, Bala Mustapha, has ordered the immediate unsealing of the 23 local government secretariats in the state. This follows a directive from the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
In a statement issued on Monday by the spokesperson for the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, it was clarified that the action is in line with the IGP’s instructions.
The move comes just 24 hours after Governor Siminalayi Fubara inaugurated newly elected local government chairmen who emerged from Saturday’s elections. It is worth noting that the secretariats were sealed in July following a crisis related to the contentious tenure extension of the previous chairmen, during which police personnel were deployed to secure the facilities.
The police command emphasized that the unsealing aligns with the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to neutrality and the smooth functioning of democratic processes.
The statement read, “Following recent political developments in Rivers State, the newly appointed Commissioner of Police, CP Bala Mustapha, acting on the directives of IGP Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered the immediate withdrawal of police personnel previously stationed at the local government secretariats.”
The police reiterated their neutral stance and assured that personnel would only be redeployed in the event of a crisis or breakdown of law and order. The statement added, “Emergency measures will be swiftly implemented to restore normalcy if necessary.”
The Rivers State Police Command also reassured the public of its commitment to maintaining peace and order across the state and urged residents to remain calm and law-abiding.
