President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the Nigeria Police Force to protect local government secretariats in Rivers State against incursion by arsonists and vandals.
Tinubu also called on Governor Siminalayi Fubara, political leaders and their supporters in Rivers State to exercise restraint and uphold the rule of law.
The president’s directive is a response to tension that arose in the state following last Saturday’s local government council election.
He expressed deep concern over reports of arson and explosions in the state.
In a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu urged all political actors to de-escalate the situation and discourage their supporters from engaging in violence or destructive actions.
He directed the police to restore and maintain peace, law, and order immediately.
While instructing law enforcement agencies to bring the situation under control, he emphasised the need to ensure the security of public institutions, saying government facilities built with public funds must be safeguarded from vandalisation.
He further asserted that self-help has no place in a democratic system, especially after Nigeria marked 25 years of continuous democracy.
According to President Tinubu, the judiciary can settle all political disputes, and the outcome of the Rivers local council election should be no exception.
LEADERSHIP learned that suspected arsonists on Monday attacked the secretariats of Eleme and Ikwerre local government councils in Rivers State, burning down sections of the facilities.
The development, LEADERSHIP gathered, may not be unconnected with the recently concluded local government election and swearing-in of the newly elected chairmen and councillors.
An opposition political party, the Action Peoples Party (APP), won 22 out of the 23 local government chairmanship seats while Action Alliance (AA) won just one.
The ruling party in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the All Progressives Congress (APC) boycotted the election.
The attacks came few hours after the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, ordered the unsealing of the secretariats of the 23 local government councils in Rivers State.
Egbetokun had ordered the sealing of the council secretariats in July 2024 following the expiration of the tenure of the elected local government chairmen and the appointment of caretaker committees for the 23 local government areas.
Fubara’s decision to appoint caretaker committees instead of organising local government elections at that time was opposed by loyalists of the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, leading to several litigations.
In a statement issued on Monday morning, police public relations officer (PPRO), Grace Iringe-Koko, said the police would only be deployed to the council secretariats if there were crises.
Part of the statement reads: “In view of the recent political developments in Rivers State, the newly deployed commissioner of police, CP Bala Mustapha, hereby conveys the directives of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, for the immediate withdrawal of all police personnel previously deployed to seal and safeguard the local government secretariats in the state.
“This decision is in line with the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to ensure neutrality and the smooth functioning of democratic institutions.
“Consequently, the IGP has ordered the unsealing of the local government secretariats, which were earlier secured by police personnel. The police will only be redeployed to these locations in the event of any crisis or breakdown of law and order, in which case emergency measures will be swiftly implemented to restore normalcy.”
It expressed its readiness to continue to act professionally and maintain peace and order across the state.
“We urge all residents and stakeholders to remain calm and law-abiding as the situation continues to evolve.”
LEADERSHIP reports that the political temperature in Rivers State has been rising after Governor Siminalaiye Fubara fell out with his predecessor and political godfather, Nyesom Wike, who is the present minister of the federal capital territory.
