221 police personnel attached to Wike, IGP says

THE Nigeria Police, on Sunday, stated that there was no time, either recently or in the past, that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, gave an order or assignment to the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State or any police officer anywhere in the country to kill Governor Nyesom Wike.

The police also stated that the IG never directed the Rivers State Commissioner of Police to cage the governor as alleged, as the Nigeria Police saw the alleged statement of Wike as malicious, capable of misleading and causing disaffection between the police and the 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.

Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, said 28,000 police personnel and the personnel of the other security and safety agencies deployed in Rivers State under the aegis of Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), a platform created by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigeria Police was to ensure the security and safety of the electorate, electoral officials, election materials and other critical stakeholders before, during and after the rerun held in December, 2016 and not to kill innocent Nigerians.

The force spokesman noted that the governor should put into cognisance national security and that of the people of Rivers State as against any personal, political or group interest, and resist the use of personal grudges, grouse and sentiment to attack the hard-earned personality of the IGP to cast aspersion on the statutory roles of the Force in ensuring utmost protection of life and property of all Nigerians.

According to him “it is incumbent on the Nigeria Police to educate the general public and draw the attention of Governor Nyesom Wike 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 Governor Wike for his personal and office protection.”

Jimoh noted that the governor has one ADC (senior police officer), 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, (24) Police Corporals attached to his government.

Consequently, the force spokesman added that the total number of 221 police personnel attached to Governor Wike was more than the strength of some Police Area Commands formation in some states of Nigeria.