The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has voiced its support for Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, following his actions to foil an alleged attempt by the Nigerian Police, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), to take control of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) in the early hours of Friday, October 4, 2024.
The police were reportedly attempting to take over the RSIEC facility at around 1:00 a.m., with claims that officers tried to scale the gates to access sensitive electoral materials intended for the local government elections scheduled for Saturday.
In a statement signed by HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, the rights group condemned the attempted takeover and criticized the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, accusing him of aligning with political forces, particularly in the ongoing conflict between Governor Fubara and his former political ally, Nyesom Wike.
HURIWA urged the IGP to decide whether to remain a neutral law enforcement officer or openly join the All Progressives Congress (APC), rather than using his position to interfere in the political struggles of Rivers State. The group further called for the arrest of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) for leading what they described as an “illegal operation.”
Describing the police actions as an “attempted coup” against democracy in Rivers State, HURIWA called on the police to remain professional and avoid acting as “armed thugs” for political parties. The group warned that the police’s involvement in partisan politics is damaging the credibility of the institution and drawing Nigeria back to the days of military dictatorship.
Governor Fubara, along with key government officials and political stakeholders, had responded swiftly to the situation by storming the RSIEC office to prevent any disruption to the election process. HURIWA emphasized that such acts of “harassment” against the Rivers State governor and democratic institutions pose a threat to Nigeria’s global reputation and should be addressed urgently.
