The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, has said that he did at any time mandat­ed the Rivers Commissioner of Police (CP) or any police officer to kill the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.
This is in reaction to an interview granted by the governor in one of the national dailies where the governor reportedly alleged that the IGP has given mandate to the Rivers CP to kill him.
The reaction is contained in a state­ment signed by the Force Spokesman, Jimoh Moshood.
“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 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.
“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,” the IGP said.
He further explained that “there are 221 Police Personnel attached cur­rently to Governor Nyesom Wike, for his personal and office protection.
“Obviously, the total number of 221 Police personnel attached to the Riv­ers State Governor 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 the Governor 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.”
The IGP, according to the statement 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.- The Authority