A chieftain of the People’s Democratic party in Rivers State, Ichemati Ezebunwo has accused the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun of bais in the political crisis in Rivers.
Ezebunwo, in a statement Today, said the setting aside of the arrest warrant against Hon. Edison Ehie and five others has exposed the unprofessional conduct of the IGP in the state.
According to him, the IGP has turned the Nigeria Police Force into an armed support group in the hands of political gladiators in the state.
He also accused the IGP of arresting and intimidating supporters of Gov. Fubara on the orders of the FCT Minister.
His statement read,
THE SETTING ASIDE OF THE ARREST WARRANT AGAINST RT HON Ehie Edison AND OTHERS, FURTHER EXPOSES THE BIAS AND UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT OF IGP KAYODE EGBETOKUN & HIS POLICE OFFICERS IN THE POLITICAL BATTLE IN RIVERS STATE
Earlier today JUSTICE NWITE OF THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT in ABUJA set aside the initial WARRANT OF ARREST it issued against RT. HON. Ehie Edison (Chief Of Staff To Governor Sim Fubara), Chibuike O Peter , Fatima Jinjiri, and Adokiye Oyagiri , on the grounds that the Court was misled by the Inspector General of Police in their petition.
This further exposes the bias and unprofessional conduct of the Inspector General of Police, who have his conduct abused his constitutional responsibilities and have turned the Nigeria police force into an armed support group in the hands of powerful political gladiators in Rivers State, whose perspective of power is to use the police to abuse and bully political opponents.
We are not ignorant of the collusion between Chief Wike and the Inspector General of Police, that has made the former and his cardinals to carry themselves with impunity and subjugation against Governor Sim and his supporters because of the unprofessional backing of the latter, who on the orders of Chief Wike has carried out series of arrest and harassment with frivolous, insubstantial and time-wasting charges against supporters of the Rivers State Governor. Most recent of such unprofessional conduct is the Arrest of supporters of Governor Sim in Abuja Mr Ezebunwo Ichemati and the continuous detention of Hon Sokari Goodboy Sokari, a serving member of the Rivers State House of Assembly Representing Ahoada-East Constituency.
Nigerians can now see the motive behind the wanton arrests, intimidation and harassment meted out to supporters of Governor SIM, which by the revelation of JUSTICE NWITE has further emboldened the claim of Rivers people against IGP KAYODE EGBETOKUN and the Nigeria Police Force.
It is really a sad reality that the Nigeria Police could go as low as lying to the court, just to drive home their political sentiments against GOVERNOR SIM and his supporters.
Today the Nigeria Police force is regarded as the exclusive reserve for politicians with Federal connect and the financial warchest to pay for their services. So what then is the hope of the common man without such luxurious privileges. This is the reason why as a country we need to build strong security institutions, that’ll be manned by people of impeccable character, who will not be influenced by politicians for their inordinate desires.
As Rivers people we want to thank Justice Nwite for correcting the wrongs of the Inspector General of Police and for exposing the police for who they are, through the rescinding of his earlier declaration.
I hope those misguided youths who celebrated the declaration of RT HON EHIE EDISON and other leaders as wanted persons, can now hide their heads in shame, now that the court have come out to say it was deceived by Chief Wike’s Police.
FINALLY : We shall continue to stand by the GOVERNOR SIM and other leaders that have the interest of Rivers State at heart in the patriotic fight for the liberation of Rivers State. We shall never be deterred by their criminal propaganda, arrest and intimidation.
