As FEC members view video clips of fracas
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Muhammed Dikko Abubakar yesterday assured that a high powered investigation would be carried out on the Tuesday fracas and current crisis rocking the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Abubakar told State House Correspondents shortly after a closed door meeting with the Vice President Namadi Sambo that the team of investigators would be led by the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of Operations.
Prior to the meeting with the Vice President and commencement of Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, ministers were shown via a giant screen television set some video clips of the fracas which broke out at the Rivers State House of Assembly on Tuesday.
Abubakar, who assured that any police officer indicted in the fracas or found to have supported the thugs who allegedly stormed the assembly would be punished, however said he was unaware of police collaborating with the thugs.
He also denied that his men fired tear gas canisters at the Assembly during the fracas, saying, “That is not true, no reasonable commissioner of police will go and tear gas Government House, it is not true.”
“I am not aware. You see, the police have a responsibility to protect the citizens of this country but remember, we saw the video clip and you saw those who went to the assembly. I think you should be asking who were those who went to the assembly and why they went to the assembly? We are investigating that matter and whoever is found wanting will be sanctioned.”
On the conduct and relationship of the Commissioner of Police in state with Governor Rotimi Amaechi, Abubakar retorted, “What conduct? I am not in Port Harcourt and I am investigating. I have sent a DIG in charge of operations, he is in Port Harcourt and he will brief me the happenings and the action taken by police in Rivers State and necessary action will be taken against anybody who has anything to defend.
“You are free to make allegation but the allegation must be substantiated that yes, he has done something stupid. I have not gotten any written documentation that accused the commissioner of police of one particular offence till today.”
Also speaking, the Minister of Police Affairs, Caleb Olubolade said, “The police is an institution, the police have a duty to perform and they will always play their role. If certain things happened there, there must be a reason.
“If somebody has erred in his duty, he will be held responsible; that I can assure you but the police can be on this side and they can be on the other side. They still have a duty to perform.
“So, when you look at issues of what happened in that assembly, don’t take it as you see in the photograph because somebody has a duty to perform whichever side because both sides have security men attached to them. We must be careful in jumping into conclusion. Let us see how it plays out.”
Yesterday, prior to the commencement of FEC meeting, Council members were shown in the Council Chambers the clips of the fracas in the Rivers State House of Assembly, showing the free-for-all fight between presumed anti and pro-Amaechi lawmakers.
While some ministers who were watching drew the attention of Minister of State Education, Nyesom Wike, to the video, he however denied being there saying, “I was not there, did you see me there?”
Wike was surrounded by Senator Bala Mohammed (FCT); Sarah Ochekpe (Water Resources); Zainab Kuchi (Minister of State for Power), Abba Moro (Interior) and Special Adviser to the President on Performance Evaluation and Monitoring, Professor Sylvester Monye while explaining issues ostensibly to establish his innocence.
The attention and discussions of Ministers were centered on the Rivers State Assembly crisis prior to the commencement of meeting presided over by Sambo.
Source: Daily Newswatch
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