Rivers State—The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has directed the immediate withdrawal of police officers deployed to seal off the 23 local government areas of Rivers State. This move follows recent political developments in the state.
The directive, announced in a statement on Monday by Grace Iringe-Koko, Public Relations Officer for the Rivers State Police Command, emphasized the importance of neutrality in the operations of the Nigeria Police Force.
“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 read.
The withdrawal is part of the police force’s commitment to ensuring impartiality and facilitating the proper functioning of democratic institutions. The statement also clarified that police officers would only be redeployed to the areas in the event of a security crisis.
“In case of a breakdown of law and order, emergency measures will be swiftly implemented to restore normalcy,” the statement added.
The Rivers State Command reassured the public of its dedication to maintaining peace and order while urging residents to remain calm and law-abiding as the situation unfolds.
