The Rivers State Police Command says it would not provide security for the conduct of Saturday's local government election in the state.
In a statement issued on Thursday night, Grace Iringe-Koko, police spokesperson in Rivers, said the command is complying with an order of the federal high court in Abuja.
There has been tension in Rivers ahead of the election due to the protracted political feud the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT).
The local government election is viewed in both camps as a referendum on who really controls the grassroots.
The Wike camp is opposed to the conduct of the election on Saturday, and on September 30, a federal high court in Abuja barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the 2023 voter register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
The court also barred the inspector-general of police and the Department of State Services (DSS) from providing security for the exercise.
On October 2, INEC said it had not released the voter register to RSIEC for the conduct of the election, in deference to the judgment of the federal high court.
On October 3, a crowd besieged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) secretariat in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital, to protest against the planned local government election.
But Fubara has vowed to proceed with the election and has declared Thursday and Friday as public holidays.
On Thursday night Fubara stormed the office of the Rivers State Electoral Commission (RISEC) to prevent the carting away of electoral materials by the police.
Speaking during his visit to the office, Fubara warned that the had endured enough of police excesses, while decrying that the relationship between the inspector general of police and Wike has gone beyond professional relationship.
Fubara said the Abuja high court only ruled against the release of election materials, but did not stop the conduct of the election.
He maintained that the local election will hold in Rivers because the "RISEC office is my property."
But Iringe-Koko advised other security agencies to comply with the court judgment by not providing security for the election.
“On July 19, 2024, a Federal High Court in Abuja issued a restraining order preventing the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies from providing security during the Local Government Election,” the statement reads.
“Additionally, on September 30, 2024, the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered a judgment that again prohibited the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies from participating in the Local Government Election.
“Given these circumstances, the Nigeria Police Force has been advised by the Force Legal Department that the ruling from the Federal High Court on September 30, 2024, takes precedence.
“Recently, an opposition party protested, calling for adherence to the court orders and expressing their determination to prevent any disregard for the law.
“The Nigeria Police Force encourages all parties to seek appropriate legal redress if they feel aggrieved by any decisions or actions related to the election process.
“The Nigeria Police Force is dedicated to maintaining law and order and will not stand idly by in the face of potential disturbances. Necessary actions will be taken to enforce the court’s orders.
“All Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, and Tactical Commanders have been directed to ensure full compliance with the judgment of the Federal High Court.
“In view of the above, the Nigeria Police Force has been advised by the Force Legal Department to comply with the judgment of the Federal High Court dated September 30, 2024, which bars the Nigeria Police from allowing, participating in, providing security for, or taking part in the Rivers State Local Government Election on October 5, 2024.
“All other security agencies are also implored to comply with the Federal High Court judgment.”
The police asked residents to “cooperate with law enforcement in upholding the rule of law during this crucial period”.
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