HURIWA demands deputy police commissioner’s arrest for RSIEC invasion

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), a prominent pro-democracy group, has called for the immediate arrest of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) in Rivers State following an alleged nocturnal invasion of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) office. The incident reportedly took place at 1 AM on Friday, October 4, 2024, in Port Harcourt.

In a statement by HURIWA expressed support for Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, who is said to have thwarted the attempted takeover of RSIEC by Nigerian police officers led by the Deputy Commissioner. According to the group, the police attempted to access sensitive electoral materials meant for the local government elections scheduled for Saturday.

In a strongly worded statement, HURIWA also criticized the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. Kayode Egbetokun, accusing him of becoming involved in the political rivalry between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Barrister Nyesom Wike, now the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister. The group accused the IGP of acting in favor of Wike, who is linked to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“We urge IGP Kayode Egbetokun to decide whether he wants to continue as a neutral enforcer of the law or remove his uniform and become a registered member of the APC. The police, funded by taxpayers, should not be used as instruments of political warfare, especially in Rivers State, where the police appear to be acting as the armed wing of the APC,” HURIWA said.

The human rights group cited reports that police officers had attempted to scale the gates and access the strong room of the RSIEC office, intending to seize electoral materials. However, vigilant security personnel reportedly alerted the Commission’s principal officers and government authorities, who in turn notified Governor Fubara.

In response, the governor is said to have led a team of government officials, lawmakers from both the National Assembly and the State House of Assembly, as well as key political stakeholders, to the RSIEC premises to prevent the invasion.

Reacting to the incident, HURIWA condemned what it described as a “brazen attack on the soul of democracy in Rivers State.” The group called for the arrest of the Deputy Commissioner of Police responsible for coordinating the attempted seizure of RSIEC, labeling the action an “attempted coup.”

“This invasion by the Nigeria Police is a direct assault on democracy and must not be ignored. We warn the police to stay out of political affairs and act in line with their constitutional mandate to maintain law and order, rather than participating in political supremacy battles. The involvement of the police in such controversies only serves to discredit their professionalism and raises doubts about the credibility of policing in Nigeria,” HURIWA stated.

The group added that the police’s actions in Rivers State were reminiscent of military dictatorship, damaging Nigeria’s global reputation and attracting widespread criticism from the international community.