With All Fiasco, RSG Tackles IGP …Police Restrict Movement From Midnight

Rivers State Governor , Chief Nyesom Wike, has told the Inspector General of Police , Ibrahim Idris that the surreptitious withdrawal of his Chief Security Officer has exposed his life to danger.

This is as the governor asked the Inspector General of Police to transfer the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations , Steven Hasso and the Commander of Special Anti-Robbery Squad ( SARS), Akin Fakorede for deliberately compromising the security of Rivers State because of partisan reasons .

Speaking when he granted audience to the Inspector-General of Police , Ibrahim Idris yesterday at Government House , Port Harcourt , Governor Wike regretted that without consultation , the Inspector General of Police took sides with an overtly Assistant Commissioner of Police , Steven Hasso who attempted to invade Government House with APC supporters.

The governor said that he was shocked by the inaccurate statement released by the Office of the Inspector General of Police that his Chief Security Officer was withdrawn for misconduct .

He informed the Inspector-General of that contrary to his claim that his Chief Security Officer was withdrawn for misconduct , the Chief Security Officer only stopped Steven Hasso and APC hired crowd from invading Government House , Port Harcourt .

“The moment you touch my Chief Security Officer , you are telling me that you are ready for me. As I sit here, I am empty, I have no protection .

“When people start to embarrass the governor , take his Chief Security Officer without information , it is completely wrong . What you have done is the highest disrespect to the office to the Office of the Governor .

“I am pleading with you, my life is very important . I will not take any Chief Security Officer you bring to me that I don’t know . This is a matter of security and protection , it is not what you do with levity”.

The governor warned the Inspector-General of Police against politicising the security of the rerun elections , because after the election there will still be governance.

He told the Police High Command that the people of Rivers State will support an unbiased police force, but warned that the people will resist any attempt to use security agencies for untoward electoral action.

He said: “If the police wants free and fair elections , the police will get free and fair elections “ .

Governor Wike berated the police for declaring a state-wide curfew without consultation with the Rivers State Security Council .

He reminded the Inspector General of Police that he has written several letters to his office without reply . He informed him that the State SARS Commander , Mr Akin Fakorede has been indicted for distributing SARS uniforms to APC thugs.

Earlier , the Inspector General of Police , Ibrahim Idris said that he was in the state to ensure that the election was peaceful .

He urged the people of Rivers State to support the Security agencies to deliver peaceful polls.

Speaking on behalf of other security agencies, the Commanding Officer, 2 Brigade, Nigeria Army Port Harcourt, Brig-General, Hassan Amusu lauded the IGP for the visit adding that the visit would strengthen them to effectively deliver the mandate of peaceful elections in the state.

He assured that they were fully prepared and ready for the elections even as he used the opportunity to warn trouble makers to stay away from the state during the election.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Police Command has announced the restriction of movement from Mid night Friday even as it increased the number of its personnel from 25 thousand to 28 thousand personnel to ensure security during the Saturday re run elections in Rivers State.

The Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG),Josua Habila who stated this on Wednesday during an interactive forum organized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the election, noted that the restriction and additional personnel deployed to the state was to give credit to the process.

Habila also announced that his men have been mandated to arrest any person with money above N5,000.00 within any polling booth, assuring that the police, this time, is determined to abort anything that would disrupt the Saturday rerun elections.

The DIG explained that the police is not working for anybody or political party but rather to protect the electorates, INEC officials and ensure a peaceful atmosphere for the elections on Saturday.

While explaining the level of strategies in place to ensure that the state is peaceful during and after the elections, the Police boss said additional three thousand police men have been added to make the number of personnel 28,000 with the men on ground, adding the police has also provided 350 petrol vans that will be manned by armed police, including Gun boat and two helicopters.

He said the police is not driving the process of the election, but they have been charged and mandated to ensure the security of the elections and ensure that electorates exercise their civic rights and franchise without intimidations.

He regretted that it has been difficult in the past for the people to exercise their civic responsibilities, adding that the police will no long tolerate such any more, hence it is all out to protect the system.

Habila also hinted that the commissioner of Police in the Neighboring states would ensure that persons are not out or in to Rivers State from Friday midnight, adding at least 20 Commissioners of Police are in the state to ensure that the election is peaceful.