Rivers State Re-Run Election: Nigeria Police Force Denies Indictment By INEC

The Nigeria Police Force has described, as false and misleading, a

media report suggesting that it was indicted for its role in

legislative re-run elections in Rivers State, which held in December.

The news report in question was published in Wednesday's edition and

it stated that the Nigeria Police Force was indicted by a report of

the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the Rivers

State re-run elections.

The reaction of the Force was contained in a statement signed by Chief

Superintendent of Police (CSP) Jimoh O. Moshood, Force Public

Relations Officer (FPRO). The statement explained that the

Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Lawal K Idris, set up an

investigative panel comprising senior police officers and officers of

the Directorate of State Security Service (DSS) to investigate

irregularities, incidents of violence and the roles of security

agencies, including the Police; INEC and other stakeholders deployed

for the re-run elections.

The joint investigative panel, the statement further noted, was also

mandated to investigate the prevalence of armed robbery,

kidnapping/hostage taking, hijack of election materials and attacks on

the electorate, INEC staff, ad-hoc electoral personnel. The Police

added that the panel submitted its report to the Inspector General of

Police on February 7.

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"The Nigeria Police Force identified and has proactively taken action

against six Police officers, who were indicted by the Investigative

Panel report to have compromised, engaged in serious misconduct,

misused of firearms, 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 January 6, 2017 and are

awaiting prosecution. Other agencies whose personnel were also

indicted by the Joint Investigative Panel are expected to do the same

to their personnel indicted in the report without any further delay,"

the statement said.

It added that 23 INEC electoral officials and two of the commission's

administrative officials indicted by the panel were arrested,

investigated and admitted collecting a total of N111, 300,000 from Mr.

Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers State.

"The money 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," the

statement said.

It maintained that the Nigeria Police Force remains apolitical and

will continue to ensure that election security is guaranteed across

the country.

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