The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has directed policemen to remain on guard at the local government secretariats in Rivers State until after a court judgement.
However, the state government said Egbetokun had limitations on the current political crisis.
The IGP stated this at a meeting with senior police officers in Abuja on Thursday.
The IGP further stated that the occupying of the secretariats was to ensure peace and order and not to intimidate anyone. He directed the continuation of the police barricade on local government secretariats in Rivers State to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
He said the police will continue to occupy the secretariats until a court of competent jurisdiction delivers judgement on the local government crisis in Rivers State.
The IGP, who also spoke on the controversy over the recruitment of constables and the allegations by the Police Service Commission (PSC), said the force’s management will not sit idly and watch questionable and untrainable persons recruited into the police.
He insisted that the Nigeria Police Force is a specialised institution not meant for all Nigerians.
The state Commissioner for Information and Communications, Warisenibo Joe Johnson, disclosed this to LEADERSHIP in Port Harcourt yesterday.
Johnson said, “In my opinion, the occupation of the council secretariats is for protective custody. It is not in the place of the IGP to decide whether it should continue.
“The third tier of government is the local government and since the police are doing their work, they should not make it look like the IGP is running the state. The governor is still the governor of the state. So, the IGP and his order have limitations, and it is a product of the law.”
Also, speaking with LEADERSHIP, a legal practitioner, Dr. Emma Okah, said the IGP directive is on order, except there are hidden intentions.
Okah said: “It depends on the intention of the IGP to issue that directive. If his intention is to maintain law and order to prevent a situation where there would be fracas in the local government secretariats, then there is nothing to worry about because it will be a temporary closure.
“However, the issue is straightforward: if your tenure has expired, you leave. If you think you have any reason why you cannot leave, you approach the court for the court to make pronouncements.”