Updated: IGP orders police to vacate Rivers LG secretariats

Updated: IGP orders police to vacate Rivers LG secretariats

The police operatives previously dispatched to seal off the 23 local government areas of Rivers State have been ordered to pull out.

The order was issued by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Monday.

In a statement by Grace Iringe-Koko, the Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Command, the withdrawal of the police is with immediate effect.

According to the statement, the order is hinged on the recent political developments in Rivers State.

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“The newly deployed State Commissioner of Police, Bala Mustapha, conveyed the directive 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 emphasized that the decision “is in line with the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to ensure neutrality and the smooth functioning of democratic institutions.”

It further stated that personnel will only be redeployed to those areas if there was a crisis or breakdown of law and order, at which point emergency measures would be swiftly implemented to restore normalcy.

The Rivers State Command assured the public of its continued commitment to maintaining peace and order across the state, while reiterating its professional conduct in carrying out its duties.

Residents and stakeholders were urged to remain calm and law-abiding as the situation unfolds

Updated: IGP orders police to vacate Rivers LG secretariats