IGP condemns violence in Rivers, orders probe into officers’ killing

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has condemned the outbreak of violence and breakdown of law and order at various Local Government Council secretariats in Rivers State.

The clash happened on Tuesday in Port Harcort, the state capital, over the tenure of Local Government Council Chairmen in the state, which led to the deaths of a police officer and a vigilante member.

In a statement on Wednesday by the Force Spokesman, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the police IG directed the Rivers Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, to heighten security measures across the state.

The IG also ordered a thorough investigation into the killing of the police officer and the vigilante operative and also directed the probe of the general violence which erupted in the state.

Egbetokun also deployed operatives of the Force Intelligence Response Team (IRT) to assist the Rivers State Command in apprehending the killers of the police officer and the vigilante member.

The statement reads, “The Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, condemns in the strongest terms the recent outbreak of violence and subsequent breakdown of law and order at various Local Government Council secretariats in Rivers State, where supporters of two political factions clashed over the tenure of Local Government Council Chairmen, which unfortunately led to the tragic deaths of a Police Officer – Inspector David Mgbada, and Samuel Nwigwe, a vigilante member at Eberi-Omuma in Omuma LGA.

“In response to these heinous acts, the IGP has directed the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, CP Olatunji Disu, to heighten security measures across the state and institute thorough investigations into the killing of the police officer and the vigilante operative, as well as the general violence which erupted in the state.