In the early hours of Friday, October 4, 2024, Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara foiled a desperate attempt by ‘rogue policemen’ led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), to break into the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) early this morning.
The officers reportedly stormed the facility around 1 am, attempting to seize sensitive materials meant for the upcoming local government elections on Saturday.
It’s believed the deployment was ordered by the Inspector-General of Police to truncate the planned election on Saturday.
Fortunately, vigilant security personnel at the scene spotted the intruders and raised alarm as they attempted breaking the gates and strong room of RSIEC.
Quick-thinking members of the RSIEC staff alerted Governor Fubara who wasted no time in assembling a high powered rescue team.
The team, which included lawmakers from both the National and State Assemblies, top government officials, and political stakeholders, rushed to the facility to confront the situation.
Speaking to reporters outside the RSIEC office on Aba Road, Governor Fubara condemned the illegal actions of the ‘rogue Police’ men, and accused the IGP of overreaching his authority due to personal connections with politicians in Abuja.
He reiterated that local government elections are State matters and should be free from federal interference.
He strongly condemned the illegal attempt to remove the policemen already deployed at the facility and replace them with officers from another State.
He vowed to provide security other than the Police to ensure peaceful election on Saturday and enjoined Rivers people to turn up en-masse for the exercise
The Governor also criticized the attempt to remove the officers legally deployed to secure the RSIEC and replace them with officers from another state. In response, Rivers people have gathered en masse at the RSIEC office, ensuring the rogue policemen, who arrived in two trucks and two Hilux vehicles, do not return.
In light of the failed operation, Governor Fubara is scheduled to hold a world press conference at 8:00am today to address the situation.
He is expected to expose the desperate attempts by federal forces to disrupt the democratic process in Rivers State after losing their grip on the forthcoming local government elections.
This incident has sparked outrage among Rivers citizens, who view the interference as an attack on their rights and democracy.
Governor Fubara’s quick response has reassured the public that the elections will go on as scheduled, and any external attempts to tamper with the process will be firmly resisted.
As the press conference approaches, many are eager to hear the Governor’s detailed account of the events and his strategy to protect Rivers State from further attempts to undermine its electoral process. The people remain united in their support for Governor Fubara and his efforts to defend the state’s democratic integrity.
