The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria has thrown its support behind Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, commending his swift action in thwarting what it described as a “takeover attempt” by the Nigerian Police on the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission.
According to reports, the police operation was allegedly led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) and took place around 1:00 a.m. on Friday, October 4, 2024.
HURIWA, in a strongly worded statement, criticized the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, accusing him of entangling the Nigeria Police Force in the ongoing political feud between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.
The group expressed concern that the police, under Egbetokun’s leadership, have aligned themselves with political interests, specifically favoring the All Progressives Congress (APC), Wike’s political faction.
The rights group’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, emphasized this point in the statement, “We urge the IGP of Police Kayode Egbetokun to decide if he wants to remove his uniform and then join the All Progressives Congress as a registered card-carrying member rather than wear the uniform paid for by taxpayers, most of whom don’t belong to any political persuasions, and then only for the IGP to dabble into the political fisticuffs in Rivers State on behalf of the self-acclaimed political godfather of Rivers State Barrister Nyesom Wike.”
Reports allege that the police attempted to breach the RSIEC’s gates and gain access to secure areas where sensitive election materials were stored.
These materials were intended for use in the local government elections scheduled for Saturday. However, the plan unraveled when security officers stationed at the commission notified key officials, who in turn alerted Governor Fubara and relevant authorities.
Governor Fubara, accompanied by lawmakers from both the National Assembly and the Rivers State House of Assembly, as well as prominent political leaders, responded by quickly heading to the electoral commission’s headquarters. Their presence reportedly neutralized the police’s efforts.
In response, HURIWA condemned the nighttime operation, calling it an unlawful assault on democratic processes in Rivers State. The organization demanded immediate accountability, “We view this brazen attack on the soul of democracy in Rivers State by the partisan Nigeria Police as an attempted coup which must not be swept under the carpets of impunity.”
The group also called for the arrest of the Deputy Commissioner of Police responsible for coordinating the operation, insisting that the Nigeria Police Force should remain neutral in political matters.
“The Police in Rivers State, controlled from the office of the IGP in Abuja, must behave like professionals rather than always acting as the armed thugs of the All Progressives Congress,” HURIWA argued.
HURIWA’s statement further underscored the broader implications of the incident for the Nigerian Police Force, raising concerns that the force has become overly politicized.
“We will continue to warn the Nigeria Police to steer off politics and operate in compliance with the constitutional provisions which created the Policing institution to enforce law and order and not to be deployed for political parties’ supremacy battles to advance the ambitions of certain individuals only because they are affiliated to the All Progressives Congress which is the party in power at the centre,” it said.
The group warned that such actions were reminiscent of past military dictatorships and that they risk damaging Nigeria’s international reputation.
“These vexatious, toxic, unconstitutional harassment of the Rivers state governor and the brazen, lawless, reckless efforts to take over democratic institutions by the police in Rivers State are only drawing us back to the days of the military dictatorship,” HURIWA concluded, noting that these illegal acts are attracting global condemnation.
