The Rivers State Police Command has announced its commitment to fully comply with a Federal High Court judgment in Abuja, which prohibits its involvement in the upcoming October 5 local government election in Rivers State.
This decision follows less than 24 hours after members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by state chairman Aaron Chukwuemeka, staged a protest against the election’s conduct by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.
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The protesters, who marched to the headquarters of both the Department of State Services and the State Police Command in Port Harcourt, submitted a petition and a copy of the court judgment, urging the security agencies to adhere to the court’s order and refrain from participating in the poll.
In response, the state police spokesperson, Superintendent Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed in a statement that the police command would follow the court’s ruling.
However, she emphasized that this would not mean the police would stand by and allow any security breaches to occur during the election.
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The statement, issued on Thursday, clarified that the decision was made after receiving directives from the Force Legal Department, which advised that the ruling from the Federal High Court, dated September 30, 2024, takes precedence over any previous orders.
Iringe-Koko further explained that the police had carefully reviewed the court judgments barring their participation in the election and advised citizens to remain peaceful during this period.
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The statement read, “The Nigeria Police Force wishes to inform all law-abiding citizens and stakeholders in Rivers State about the upcoming local government election, especially in light of recent court rulings. On July 19, 2024, and again on September 30, 2024, the Federal High Court in Abuja issued orders restraining the police and other security agencies from providing security or participating in the election.”
She also noted that an opposition party had recently protested, calling for compliance with the court orders, adding that the police encourage all aggrieved parties to seek legal redress if necessary.
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While assuring the public that the police would not allow any disturbances, Iringe-Koko reiterated that all police commanders and tactical teams had been instructed to comply fully with the court’s judgment. She also urged other security agencies to follow suit.
In conclusion, the police urged all citizens to remain calm, cooperate with law enforcement, and uphold the rule of law during this crucial period.
