The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, over the role the police have played ahead of the local government elections in Rivers State.
HURIWA National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, advised Egbetokun to choose between continuing to wear the police uniform or joining the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Mr Onwibiko in a statement on Friday accused the IGP of playing cards on the state’s former governor, Mr Nyesom Wike.
“We appeal to the IGP of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to attend the All Progressives Congress as members with registration cards, rather than taking off their uniforms and putting on uniforms paid for by taxpayers, most of whom do not belong to any political affiliation. We urge them to decide whether to participate or not. After some persuasion, the IGP will only intervene in the political conflict in Rivers State on behalf of the self-styled political godfather of the Rivers State lawyer, Nyesom Wike.” Furiwa said.
Onwibiko said the Rivers State Police Force must conduct itself professionally. He also called for the “immediate arrest of the Deputy Commissioner of the Nigeria Police Force who orchestrated the attempted takeover of democratic institutions in Rivers State.”
The statement further stated, “The Rivers State Police Force, which is controlled from the IGP office in Abuja, must act like professionals instead of acting like armed thugs of the All Progressives Congress at all times.” Ta.
“We view this brazen attack on the soul of democracy in Rivers State by the partisan Nigeria Police Force as an attempted coup that must not be swept under the carpet of impunity.
“We urge the Nigeria Police to distance itself from politics, operate in accordance with the provisions of the constitution that created the police agency to enforce law and order, and fight for supremacy between political parties to advance the ambitions of certain individuals. We will continue to warn them not to be sent there,” because they belong to the central power party, the All Progressives Congress.
“The Nigerian Police has continued to give Nigerians reason to doubt whether such a thing as a trustworthy and professional police agency even exists in this country. If you act like a force and then dabble in disputes around the river.” When local government elections are held, we Nigerians automatically assume that there is no fully professional police force. .
“These persistent and pernicious unconstitutional harassment of the Rivers State Governor and brazen lawless and reckless efforts by the Rivers State Police Force to hijack democratic institutions take us back to the era of military dictatorship and these illegal betrayals. It only takes us back to the era of deeds. This incident by the police has led to global condemnation and a negative image of Nigeria.”
