Aruga Joe Omokaro – Abuja, With Correspondents Reports

Some senior police officers, serving and retired, are urging President Bola Tinubu to relieve the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun of his job.

Their cogent reason is on his resented actions on the crisis in Rivers State emanating from the just concluded Local Government election which took place on Saturday, October 5th 2024

The officers who expressed bitterness, believe that, actions of IGP Egbetokun on the election imbroglio were “embarrassing and unprofessional” which have brought disrepute to the government of Bola Tinubu, and in particular, to the battered image of the Nigeria Police Force.

Even some Editors of reputable newspapers who spoke with The SUPREME expressed disgust over Egbetokun’s actions.

Egbetokun had a few days before the election ordered policemen in Rivers State Police Command, not to provide security for the local government election.

According to Egbetokun in a statement issued by Force spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, his directive is in compliance with a Federal High Court order in Abuja, restraining the state electoral body from conducting the election.
However, the Supreme Court which is the apex court in Nigeria, was said to had given an earlier order to all state governors to conduct local government elections.

In addition to withdrawing the policemen from providing security for the election, Egbetokun in June sealed up all the Local Government Secretariats in the state.
His action was also said to be in compliance with a directive by the embattled Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Right Honourable Martins Chike Amaeuwhule.

But the state governor Siminalayi Fubara was said to have promptly gone to court challenging the Speaker’s directive; and requesting the court to allow him to appoint Caretaker Committee Chairmen (CCC). The court was said to have honourably granted the governor powers to do so. And Governor Fubara promptly appointed the Chairmen.

Former governor of Rivers State, now Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, Nyeson Wike is at loggerheads with his successor, Governor Fubara.
Both of them are at daggers drawn over alleged monetary issues and supremacy in governance of the state
Wike is believed to have been instrumental to the victory in the election that brought Fubara to power as governor. Their cordial relationship has now gone soar.

The Speaker is believe to be loyal to Wike, and taking instructions from Wike.

Subsequent upon the court order permitting the governor to appoint the CCC, the IG apparently taking instructions from Wike ordered the Rivers State Police Command to seal up the Local Government Secretariats.
It was until last week Monday, October 7th that IGP Egbetokun reversed his order withdrawing the policemen from the Local Government Secretariats.

In spite of Egbetokun’s order restraining policemen from providing security for the local government election, the electoral body went ahead and conducted the election, which was adjudged peaceful in almost all parts of the state, except the area dominated by Wike’s supporters, where there were reports of skirmishes and two people were reported wounded.

The following day Sunday, October 6th, Governor Fubara swore in the elected Chairmen.

It is rife that, Wike was instrumental to the Federal High Court order, because of his rift with Fubara.

In view of the “resented” actions of Egbetokun, several police officers serving and retired, who spoke with The SUPREME, expressed disgust and called for Egbetokun’s immediate sack to avoid further embarrassing errors.

A retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) Yakubu Mohammed from the North West, described IGP Egbetokun’s action as “violation of the Supreme Court order.”

DIG Mohammed told The SUPREME on phone that, “if it is a country where things are working well, the IG should have been sanctioned immediately.
I don’t have copies of the the Supreme Court and that of the Federal High Court judgements, but if the Supreme Court gives a ruling, there is no appeal. Just as the saying goes ‘God’s case no appeal.’
It is the highest court in the country. If the IG took instructions from Wike to withdraw policemen from the election that is very bad and embarrassing.
How can Supreme Court gives judgment and a lower court counter it? It’s unfortunate.
There is so much corruption in the society, because we don’t have the fear of God, that is why things are like this.”
Asked if Egbetokun was acting on instructions from above, and if so, should he have disobeyed? He explained that,
“If those who appointed him give him wrong directive he will not be able to say no or advise that the order is wrong for fear of losing his job.
Though l learnt there was a riot in Wike’s area and two people were injured, but the election was generally peaceful, without police presence. The IG withdrawing policemen means in the future, elections can hold without police presence.”

A former Military Administrator, who refused to speak officially on the actions of IGP Egbetokun however, described him, as “empty” who “should not be more than a Sergeant-Major.”

Also speaking in line with DIG Mohammed, a retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) from the South-South, who pleaded anonymity, told The SUPREME that, IGP Egbetokun “should not have stayed a day longer In office, after his blunder for withdrawing policemen from providing security for the election.
He is an embarrassment to the Force especially to us retired offices and even to the country.
How can an officer of that rank said he was obeying court order? Even an experienced Constable cannot take such action.

What is the primary responsibility of the police? To protect lives and property. We know that in elections hoodlums normally attack voters and he withdrew policemen from performing their responsibility. It’s a big shame. When l saw the press statement from the PRO saying the police were obeying court order, l was ashamed. That boy Muyiwa is talking anyhow. His press conferences are becoming boring.
He (Egbetokun) should be able to advise government on the right steps to take.
I am surprised that, even the press is silent over the embarrassing actions of the IG.”

Speaking in the same vein, a retired Commissioner of Police (CP) Bolaji Fafowora from the South West told The SUPREME that, “What the IGP did was not good at all. How can he obey a lower court order?
Untill Wike is curtailed, there will be no peace in Rivers State He is a power broker and has so much money.
Militants almost overwhelm the military and the police with sophisticated weapons, and nothing is done. The country is moving to one-part system. Those who are supposed to talk are silent.
Until there is a change, this country will not move forward. I am not advocating for a bloody revolution. The army is not even better.

All they do is to change the Constitution, and that is not healthy for the country. What is acceptable is where people will seat together and agree on laws for the national interest, whereby every part of the country will feel equal. And those who suppose to change the laws, the Assembly are sitting there doing nothing.
Nigeria is a country of many nations. Some people feel they own the country more than others.”

Also lamenting Egbetokun’s controversial actions, a serving senior officer who pleaded strict anonymity said, he was “ashamed of IG’s action. When l watched the Governor ( Fubara) castigating the IG, l was ashamed. What he (IG) did was very embarrassing. “

Another senior officer disclosed that Kayode Egbetokun “never attended any senior police officer’s course. That is why there is no intelligence in his actions. He has brought more disrepute to the Force.”

Another officer in Force Headquarters Abuja, lamented that, “he has added to the embarrassment we get almost every day from the boys on our roads.’

An officer in Rivers State Police Command noted that, “Though the IG acted based on the advice from the legal department of the Force, yet it was not proper to withdraw the policemen. The job of the police is to protect lives and property.”

From Kano, an officer said angrily that, “every day we are embarrassed. The IG supposed to know the right steps to take, even if the politicians who appointed him give him wrong (political) order, he should tactically apply the right action. If he is fired because of that, he looses nothing, he has reached the top. Policemen coming back from Edo Election died in a motor accident. Must he carry all the policemen in Nigeria to Edo”?

Also speaking on IGP Egbetokun’s action, Editor-in-Chief/Managing Director of the Sun newspaper, Onuoha Ukeh said, “The action of the IG is very wrong for not providing security for the election.
The Constitution gives the electoral body power to disobey any court order, if it has fixed an election date, the court cannot stop the electoral body from conducting an election.
For the IG to seal up the local government secretariats was very wrong. The job of the police is to protect lives and property. Even if somebody enters a government building illegally, the responsibility of the police is to protect the property and charge the person. It is the court that will determine whether the person entered the building illegally or not.
If the IG took directives from Wike or from any other person other than the President, that amounts to insubordination. The President knows what to do to him.”

Also speaking in the same vein, the Editor-in-Chief/Managing Director of Daily Independent, Steve Omanufeme noted that, actions of the IGP calls for probe. “There should be a probe panel to probe the IG’s action. He should not be sacked yet, until the outcome of the probe. His actions showed that he took instructions from the FCT Minister, Wike instead from the President or from the Police Service Commission. The police are supposed to provide security for the election materials because that is their responsibility.
And the election was peaceful without police presence.”

Another Editor, Casmir Igbokwe, former Editor of Sunday Punch, now Editor-In-Chief of Newsprobe online, noted that, “the IG’s action for obeying order of a lower court was absolutely wrong. The responsibility of the police is to protect lives and property. And for him to withdraw policemen from providing security for the local government election was very wrong.

Why democracy is thriving in the US, is because they obey rule of law. If the rule of law is not obeyed, then democracy is in peril. The only person the IG should take instruction from should be the President, not Wike or any other person.’

Discrete investigations by The SUPREME reveal that at the Force Headquarters Abuja, IGP Egbetokun has lost credibility and respect because of the Rivers State crises.

We reliably learnt that both senior and junior police officers act on his instructions with levity.
One of them noted that, “since his controversial tenure extension, he has been making serious mistakes.’

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