The Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, has ordered an immediate withdrawal of police personnel deployed initially to seal off the 23 local government areas of Rivers State.
Announcing this directive on Monday in a statement made available to newsmen by Grace Iringe-Koko, the Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Command, it said the order is aimed at finding solution to the current political developments in Rivers State.
“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 has it that, “is in line with the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to ensure neutrality and the smooth functioning of democratic institutions.”
It further clarified 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, saying it will adher to professional conduct in carrying out its duties.
