Nyesom Wike, the governor of Rivers State, has raised the alarm that the removal of his chief security officer , CSO, by the police was a risk to his life.
Speaking when the inspector general of police, Ibrahim Idris, paid him a visit, Wike said that his CSO’s withdrawal meant that his life was now in danger.
He told the IGP who was in Rivers on official duty that it was an affront to the government of the state to withdraw the CSO.
“The moment you touch my chief security officer, you are telling me that you are ready for me. As I sit here, I am empty, I have no protection.
“What you have done is the highest disrespect to the Office of the Governor.
“I am pleading with you, my life is very important; I will not take any chief security officer you bring to me that I don’t know.
“This is a matter of security and protection, it is not what you do with levity,” he said.
Wike said that the IGP did not consult him before redeploying the CSO adding that he was shocked by the IGPs statement that the CSO was withdrawn for misconduct.
Wike who came to the defence of the security officer said that he only stopped an APC crowd from invading the government house.
He urged the police to be unbiased during the election, saying that Rivers people would support an unbiased police but would resist any attempt to use security agencies for untoward electoral action.
Wike accused the police of declaring a state-wide curfew in Rivers without consulting with the state security council.
In his response, the IGP said that he was in the state to ensure peaceful elections.
He urged the people of the state to support security agencies to ensure peaceful polls.
Earlier, the IGP who was on official duty addressed 28,000 police officers and men deployed for the re-run election in the state.
According to him, logistics arrangements had been concluded.
Idris said that three helicopters would be used for arial surveillance, each per senatorial district.
He also said that 28 gun boats would be used by the police to patrol waterways in the state in collaboration with Nigerian Navy.
(NAN)
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