Police chief Ibrahim Idris has denied that he ordered the killing of Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike.
The police yesterday described the report as “false” and “misleading”.
In an interview, the governor claimed that the Inspector-General had ordered the state’s Commissioner of Police to kill him.
In a statement yesterday, Force spokesman Jimoh Moshood, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), said Wike’s claim was unbecoming of a governor.
He said that adequate measures had been put in place to ensure security of lives, including that of the governor.
The statement noted that 221 police personnel were recently deployed in Rivers to watch over the governor.
The statement reads: “The Nigeria Police Force wishes to categorically state that there is no iota of truth in all the allegations and false assertions in the interview granted by the Executive Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Mr. Nyesom Wike as regards his accusations against the IGP and the Nigeria Police Force.
“To clear doubts from the minds of good people of Rivers State and other well-meaning Nigerians that must have read the story and set the record straight, the Force is under obligation to inform the Public on the facts of the matter.
“There was no time either recently or in the past that the IGP gave an order or assignment to the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State or any police officer anywhere in the country to kill His Excellency, Mr. Nyesom Wike, the Executive Governor of Rivers State or directed the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State to cage the governor as alleged.”
Condemning the report as unfounded, the statement said: “The NPF sees this statement as ‘ungubernatorial’, ‘unexecutive’”, malicious and capable of misleading and causing disaffection between the Nigeria Police Force and the good people of Rivers State whom the governor swore to lead and serve democratically without prejudice and in accordance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
On the number of policemen attached to the governor, the police disclosed that 221 personnel are attached to him, a figure the IG said was more than what some commands have.
The statement reads: “It is incumbent on the Nigeria Police Force to educate the general public and draw the attention of the governor of Rivers State to the facts and figures available for press and members of the public to verify, that there are 221 police personnel attached currently to His Excellency, Mr. Nyesom Wike, the Executive Governor of Rivers State for his personal and office protection.
“The breakdown is as follows, one ADC (SPO), one CSO (SPO), one Unit Commander (Special Protection Unit) SPO, one Unit Commander (Counter Terrorism Unit) SPO, one Escort Commander (SPO), one Camp Commander (SPO), one Admin officer (SPO) to administer the police personnel, 54 Inspectors of Police, 136 police sergeants and 24 police corporals.”
It further stated: “Obviously, the total number of 221 police personnel attached to the His Excellency, Mr. Nyesom Wike, the governor of Rivers State is more than the strength of some Police Area Commands formation in some states of Nigeria.
“This is done to ensure optimum safety and protection of the executive governor of Rivers State.
“It is also factual to state that His Excellency, Mr. Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers State has not at any time reported or brought to the notice of the IGP any security breach or lapses from these police personnel attached to him till date.”
On the 28,000 police personnel and the personnel of the other security and safety agencies deployed to Rivers State under the aegis of Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), a platform created by Independent National National Electoral Commissioner (INEC) and the Nigeria Police Force, the police explained that they were deployed to ensure the security and safety of the electorate, electoral officials, election materials and other critical stakeholders before, during and after the re-run election in December, last year and not to kill innocent Nigerians.
The statement urged the governor to consider national security and shun personal grudges against the IG.
