Kayode Egbetokun, Inspector-General of Police, commands respect globally, according to Muyiwa Adejobi, Force Public Relations Officer.
Adejobi said this while responding to the ongoing crisis in Rivers State.
The Local Government election of Saturday had thrown Rivers into a fresh round of crisis as supporters of Nyesom Wike, Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and Governor Siminalayi Fubara, clashed.
At least, three Local Government secretariats were torched on Monday.
However, in the buildup to the election, Fubara had accused Egbetokun of taking sides with Wike, vowing to hold him responsible in the even of breakdown of law and order.
But in his response, Adejobi said Fubara’s outburst and verbal attack on the person of the IGP were needless.
“For the avoidance of doubts, the general public is free to profile the career journey of the Inspector-General of Police, and his track record in every place he has served, which undoubtedly show him as a man of honor, integrity and focus before and after his assumption of office as the 22nd Indigenous Inspector General of Police of Nigeria. The IGP is very well respected in the Association of Chiefs of Police, World Wide, particularly in Africa where he’s currently serving as the Chairman of the West African Police Chiefs Committee (WAPCCO) and providing meritorious leadership within the West African Chiefs of Police. We have seen Chiefs of Police from accross the world coming to attend his events in Nigeria and extending several invitations to him. For the first time, the president of Interpol was at the opening ceremony of the Nigeria Police conference and retreat in Owerri, last year under this IGP. Let us please observe some decorum in our politics in Nigeria.”
“It is also instructive to note that the NPF does not intend to engage in any form of media tussle or war with the person of the Executive Governor of Rivers State, his administration or his political affiliations but will continued to play its role as a neutral body in all forms of political activities undistracted. Similarly, suffice to say that the Local Government elections were generally peaceful nation wide especially in states where the Police were in charge of security.
“The IGP however condemns the spate of violent confrontations and attacks at some local government secretariats leading to destruction of government facilities in the state, immediately after the unsealing of the secretariats. He has promptly tasked the state Commissioner of police to rise up to the occasion and restore law and order in the state
“The IGP emphasizes the Force’s commitment to maintaining law and order, upholding democratic principles, and fostering peace, unity, and progress across the nation.”
