In a dramatic turn of events early Friday morning, Rivers State Governor Sir Siminalayi Fubara personally intervened to stop what he described as an attempt by the Nigerian Police to interfere with Saturday’s scheduled local government elections in the state......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
According to government sources, at approximately 1:00 AM on Friday, October 4th, 2024, a group of police officers led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) attempted to forcibly enter the offices of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC). The officers allegedly tried to access the commission’s strong room to remove sensitive electoral materials intended for use in Saturday’s polls.
The attempt was thwarted when alert security personnel at the RSIEC office notified commission officials and the governor’s office of the unfolding situation. Governor Fubara quickly mobilized a response team including his chief of staff, the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, state and national lawmakers, and other key officials and stakeholders.
The governor and his delegation arrived at the RSIEC headquarters to confront the police directly. Eyewitnesses reported seeing two police trucks and two Hilux vehicles at the scene. As of press time, the governor’s team was still at the commission’s offices to ensure that police did not return and that election preparations could proceed unimpeded.
In a brief statement, Governor Fubara denounced the actions of the police as “an assault on our democracy” and vowed that “the will of the people of Rivers State will not be subverted.” The police have not yet issued an official response to the governor’s accusations.