Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector General of Police, has ordered the immediate withdrawal of police personnel deployed to seal off the 23 local government areas of Rivers State, Nigeria.
Grace Iringe-Koko, the Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Command, announced this directive on Monday in a statement. According to the statement, the directive is attributed to recent political developments in the Southern state.
“The newly deployed State Commissioner of Police, Bala Mustapha, conveyed 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.”
The statement highlighted that the decision “is in line with the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to ensure neutrality and the smooth functioning of democratic institutions.”
The statement clarified that staff would only be moved to those areas during a crisis or a breakdown of law and order. In such cases, emergency measures would be promptly taken to restore normalcy.
The Rivers State Command reassured the public of its ongoing dedication to upholding peace and order throughout the state while emphasising its professional behaviour in fulfilling its responsibilities.
Residents and stakeholders were encouraged to stay calm and abide by the law as the situation develops.