Police chief Ibrahim Idris has denied that he ordered the
killing of Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike.
The police yesterday described the report as “false” and
“misleading”.
In an interview, the governor claimed that the
Inspector-General had ordered the state’s Commissioner of Police to kill him.
In a statement yesterday, Force spokesman Jimoh Moshood, a
Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), said Wike’s claim was unbecoming of a
governor.
He said that adequate measures had been put in place to
ensure security of lives, including that of the governor.
The statement noted that 221 police personnel were recently
deployed in Rivers to watch over the governor.
The statement reads: “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
IGP 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
IGP 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 directed the Commissioner of
Police, Rivers State to cage the governor as alleged.”
Condemning the report as unfounded, the statement said: “The
NPF 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 swore to lead and serve
democratically without prejudice and in accordance with the constitution of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
On the number of policemen attached to the governor, the
police disclosed that 221 personnel are attached to him, a figure the IG said
was more than what some commands have.
The statement reads: “It is incumbent on the Nigeria Police
Force to educate the general public and draw the attention of the governor of
Rivers State to the facts and figures available for press and members of the
public to verify, that there are 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, one ADC (SPO), one CSO (SPO),
one Unit Commander (Special Protection Unit) SPO, one Unit Commander (Counter
Terrorism Unit) SPO, one Escort Commander (SPO), one Camp Commander (SPO), one
Admin officer (SPO) to administer the police personnel, 54 Inspectors of
Police, 136 police sergeants and 24 police corporals.”
It further stated: “Obviously, the total number of 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 IGP any security breach or lapses from these police personnel
attached to him till date.”
On the 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 Independent National National Electoral Commissioner (INEC) and the
Nigeria Police Force, the police explained that they were deployed to ensure
the security and safety of the electorate, electoral officials, election
materials and other critical stakeholders before, during and after the re-run
election in December, last year and not to kill innocent Nigerians.
The statement urged the governor to consider national
security and shun personal grudges against the IG.
By: Faith
Yahaya
