The
attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to a report on pages 1 and
4 of the Nation Newspaper of today 22nd February, 2017 titled “ INEC REPORT ON RIVERS RERUN INDICTS POLICE,
OTHERS”.
The
Nigeria Police Force as the lead agency in election security in the country
recognizes the need to ensure that the rule of law, Policing based on
International core values with integrity, principles of Democratic policing in
conformity with the electoral acts prevails in all its operations as regard
elections, and protection of life and property across the nation.
Consequent
on the conduct of the Rivers Rerun Election of 10th December, 2017,
and the attendant irregularities and violence witnessed during the election,
the Nigeria Police Force acted promptly and proactively by the setting up
and Inauguration of a joint Investigative Panel, made up of Senior Police Officers
and Officers of Department of State Security Service with proven integrity by
the Inspector General of Police, on the 22nd December,
2016, to investigate all the misconducts, identified infractions, incidents of
violence and other actions and inactions of Police personnel and INEC
Officials, other security agencies and stakeholders who were deployed for the
10th December, 2016 Rivers rerun election.
The
investigation Panel was further mandated to also investigate the prevalence of
violent crimes, such as armed robbery, kidnapping/hostage taking, hijack of
election materials and attacks on electorates, INEC members of staff, ad-hoc
personnel and other stakeholders that were involved either directly or
indirectly in the conduct of the election. The joint investigation panel
submitted its report to the Inspector General of Police on the 7th
February, 2017.
The
Nigeria Police Force identified and proactively taken action against six (6)
Police Officers who were indicted by the Investigative Panel report to have
compromised, engaged in serious misconduct, misused of fire arms, and for other
conducts in violation of the electoral act and other enabling laws during the
Rivers rerun election.
They
were arrested, investigated and subjected to internal disciplinary measures,
after being found guilty were dismissed from the Force and paraded before the
media on 6th January, 2017 and are awaiting prosecution. Other
agencies whose personnel were also indicted by the Joint Investigation Panel
are expected to do the same to their personnel indicted in the report without
any further delay.
Twenty
three (23) INEC Electoral Officers and two (2) Administrative officials who
were indicted by the panel were arrested, investigated and total sum of one
hundred and eleven million three hundred thousand naira (#111, 300,000)
confessed to have been collected from the His Excellency, the Governor of
Rivers State, Barr. Nyesom Wike was recovered from them. They were granted bail
to the Director of Human Resources, INEC Headquarters Abuja.
The
report as quoted above is a disservice to the Nigeria Police Force because all
the issues raised were discovered by the Joint Investigative Panel and have
been dealt with.
The story
is therefore misleading, malicious and capable of misinforming members of the
public on the statutory roles of the Nigeria Police Force in election security,
restoration of law and order, and the protection of lives and property
throughout the country.
The
Nigeria Police Force is apolitical and will not engage in any political
partisanship, and will continue to ensure that election security is guaranteed
across the country.
Tags
Politics