The Nigeria Police Force has denied a report by an online publication, Breaking Times, claiming that a High Court had ordered the Inspector General of Police to stop an investigation into the deadly violence that attended the legislative re-run elections in Rivers State last December.
The online publication had asserted that “the Federal High Court has asked the Inspector General of Police to maintain status quo in the investigation of the violence that rocked Rivers State during the re-run legislative election on December 10th, 2016.”
However, in a statement released today and signed by its spokesman, Jimoh O. Moshood, the police summarized what transpired in court the last time the case between Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and the IG of police was heard on January 30, 2017, insisting that it was erroneous to conclude that the court prohibited the continuation of the police investigation.
Mr. Moshood said his statement was aimed at keeping the public informed about what transpired in court on January 30, 2017.
According to him, the lawyer representing the IG of Police had raised a preliminary objection questioning the court's jurisdiction to hear the motion brought by Mr. Wike.
In response, the governor's lawyer told the Court that he needed more time both to respond to the counter affidavit and the preliminary objection.
Mr. Moshood added that Justice Kolawole, the presiding judge, made it clear that the police have the option "to either continue with their investigation or not, pending the determination of the suit. The case was then adjourned to the 10th of February 2017."
Mr. Moshood stated that the events in court showed that the Federal High Court "has not, in any way stopped the Nigeria Police Force from investigating the alleged violence during the said re-run election in Rivers State. In this regard, no order was given by the court stopping the Inspector General of Police from performing his statutory duties under the law."
Mr. Moshood described the online publication's caption as misleading, asking the public to disregard it.
The police also pointed out that a careful reading of the website' report would reveal "the true outcome of the Justice Kolawole’s ruling." It accused the online publisher of using a false caption in order "to draw [the] attention of the public."
Mr. Moshood restated the IG's "unalloyed commitment to rid the country of all forms of criminality bearing in mind the obligation of the Force within the ambit of the law.
BY SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORK
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