Nigeria Police Force is disappointed in the Governor’s remarks.
The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to a Front Page headline and report of an interview by one Olusola Fabiyi on various National Issues (page 12 and 18) of the Punch Newspaper of today Sunday April 9, 2017 credited to His Excellency, Mr. Nyesom Wike, the Executive Governor of Rivers State under the captioned “IG has given Rivers CP a mandate to kill me – Wike”.
The Nigeria Police Force wishes to categorically state that, there is no iota of truth in all the allegations and false assertions in the interview granted by the Executive Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Mr. Nyesom Wike as regards his accusations against the Inspector General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force. To clear doubts from the minds of good people of Rivers State and other well meaning Nigerians that must have read the story and set the record straight, the Force is under obligation to inform the Public on the facts of the matter.
There was no time either recently or in the past that the Inspector-General of Police gave an order or assignment to the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State or any Police officer anywhere in the Country to kill His Excellency, Mr. Nyesom Wike, the Executive Governor of Rivers State or directs the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State to cage the Governor as alleged. The Nigeria Police Force sees this statement as Ungubernatorial, Unexecutive, malicious and capable of misleading and causing disaffection between the Nigeria Police Force and the good people of Rivers State whom the Governor sworn to lead and serve democratically without prejudice and in accordance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Twenty Eight Thousand “28,000” Police Personnel and the Personnel of the other Security and Safety agencies deployed to Rivers State under the aegis of Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), a platform created by INEC and the Nigeria Police Force is to ensure the security and safety of the electorates, electoral officials, election materials and other critical stakeholders before, during and after the re-run election held in December, 2016 and not to kill innocent Nigerians. His Excellency, should put into cognizance National Security and that of the people of Rivers State as against any personal, political or group interest, and resist the use of personal grudges, grouse and sentiment to attack the hard earned personality of the Inspector-General of Police to cast aspersion on the Statutory roles of the Force in ensuring utmost protection of life and property of all Nigerians.
Consequently, it is incumbent on the Nigeria Police Force to educate the general public and draw the attention of His Excellency, Mr. Nyesom Wike, the Governor of Rivers State to the facts and figures available for Press and members of the public to verify, that there are Two Hundred and Twenty One (221) Police Personnel attached currently to His Excellency, Mr. Nyesom Wike, the Executive Governor of Rivers State for his Personal and office protection. The breakdown is as follows;
i. 1 ADC (SPO)
ii. 1 CSO (SPO)
iii. 1 Unit Commander (Special Protection Unit) SPO
iv. 1 Unit Commander (Counter Terrorism Unit) SPO
v. 1 Escort Commander (SPO)
vi. 1 Camp Commander (SPO)
vii. 1 Admin officer (SPO) to administer the Police Personnel
viii. Fifty Four (54) Inspectors of Police
ix. One Hundred and Thirty Six (136) Police Sergeants
x. Twenty Four (24) Police Corporals.
Obviously, the total number of Two Hundred and Twenty One (221) Police Personnel attached to the His Excellency, Mr. Nyesom Wike, the Governor of Rivers State is more than the strength of some Police Area Commands formation in some States of Nigeria. This is done to ensure optimum safety and protection of the Executive Governor of Rivers State. It is also factual to state that His Excellency, Mr. Nyesom Wike, Governor of Rivers State has not at any time reported or brought to the notice of the Inspector General of Police any security breach or lapses from these Police personnel attached to him till date.
It is equally untrue that Nine (9) Commissioners of Police have served in Rivers State in the last two years, the record is there for everyone to check only Three (3) Commissioners of Police have served in Rivers State since the inception of the administration of the Inspector General of Police.
The first Commissioner of Police was redeployed to a higher duty post when he was promoted to the rank of a Deputy Inspector General of Police, while the second died after a brief illness on admission at an Indian Hospital; the third is the current Commissioner of Police in Rivers State.
Conclusively, the accusations and allegations by His Excellency, Mr. Nyesom Wike, the Governor of Rivers State is in totality a falsehood, unsubstantiated and misleading. The members of the public are hereby implored to disregard and discountenance it. The Nigeria Police Force is apolitical and will continue to be very Professional and carry out its statutory duties in compliance with International core values of Policing with integrity, and will ensure that the rule of laws prevails throughout the Country. The Inspector General of Police will not be deterred from carrying his official duties and other responsibilities for the benefit of all Nigerians and non Nigerians alike in every part of the Country.
