HURIWA lauds Fubara for stopping police takeover of Rivers electoral commission

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has praised Rivers State Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara for thwarting an attempted police takeover of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) in the early hours of Friday, October 4, 2024.

In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA condemned the attempted takeover, which was reportedly led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), and criticised the Nigerian Police Force for its alleged involvement in political power struggles in the state.

The incident occurred around 1 AM when police officers, allegedly acting on instructions from Abuja, tried to storm the RSIEC premises in Port Harcourt to seize sensitive electoral materials ahead of the local government elections scheduled for Saturday.

Their efforts were foiled by vigilant security personnel, who alerted state authorities, prompting Governor Fubara to intervene.

Governor Fubara, along with top government officials, lawmakers, and political leaders, quickly arrived at the scene, preventing the attempted takeover.

HURIWA described the police action as an “illegal operation” and called for the immediate arrest of the Deputy Commissioner who coordinated the incident.

In its statement, HURIWA accused Inspector General of Police Dr. Kayode Egbetokun of aligning with the All Progressives Congress (APC) in what it termed “political fisticuffs” between the governor and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

HURIWA urged the IGP to either resign and formally join the APC or act in accordance with the law, ensuring the neutrality of the police force.

HURIWA went further, labelling the police’s actions as an “attempted coup” against democratic institutions in Rivers State.

It called on the Nigerian Police Force to respect its constitutional role of maintaining law and order, rather than serving as a tool for political interests.

The civil society group warned that the incident undermines Nigeria’s democratic institutions and tarnishes the country’s image on the global stage, drawing parallels to the military dictatorship era.

HURIWA stressed the need for the police to steer clear of political involvement and focus on professionalism.