Chris Ezike, the Commissioner of Police attached to Rivers State has on Thursday, June 2, 2015 ordered
all police officers attached to politicians and other individuals to be immediately withdrawn from such assignments.
The PUNCH reports that CP Ezike warned that any deployment to be attached to politicians not authorised by the Inspector General of Police be ignored. He said he wanted all officers under his watch to be neutral insisting that any officer who was interested in politics could resign from the Police Force and proceed to register with any political party.
Ezike gave this order during his inaugural meeting, at the Officers’ Mess in Port Harcourt, with senior officers, area commanders, divisional police officers and heads of departments attached to the Rivers State Police Command. He also promised to make the state safer, more secure and more properous by collaborating with relevant stakeholders in the state.
He said; “We shall with immediate effect review our personnel deployment profile and recover wastage and unauthorised deployments. Accordingly, all Squadron Commanders are directed to withdraw PMF personnel deployed to persons not entitled and without approval from the Inspector-General of Police.
“Similarly all Area Commanders, Heads of Department and DPOs are directed to also withdraw their personnel so deployed. A monitoring task force shall soon commence action to ensure compliance.
“The 2015 elections have come and gone. However the aftershocks still remain. The Police under my watch must remain neutral, professional, fair, but very firm. Any policeman or woman who has political interest or is so committed to the ideals of any political party is advised to resign his or her commission to enable him/her to register as a political party member.
“All officers and men are to ensure that their actions and conduct remain within the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, Police Acts and Regulations and other extant legislation.”
