Amidst the present political tension, Rivers State’s Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, declared that his men will keep barricading all local government secretariats.
Noting the high standards demanded of officers, he also noted that the current scandal surrounding the recruitment of constables into the force is very disgusting.
On Thursday in Abuja, Egbetokun disclosed this to the media during a meeting with police commissioners and other high-ranking officials.
He revealed that police officers won’t be allowed to leave the headquarters until a court ruling has been made regarding the dispute surrounding the terms of local government council chairs in the state.
According to Egbetokun, the police were not there to threaten anyone but rather to maintain peace and order. The head of police reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to taking preventative action in order to stop any increase in violence.
He said, “You are all aware that in what happened two-three days ago, we lost a police inspector. We are sad about that. We don’t want to lose more men.
“We don’t want to lose more Nigerians. We don’t want to lose more citizens of Rivers State. So we have a duty to prevent the breakdown of law and order.
“And that’s why we have our men taking over the secretariat while we await the outcome of the case in court.
“As soon as the court makes its pronouncement, we will remove the barricade. Thank you.“
In an effort to stop more violence and maintain law and order, the force command in the state declared on Tuesday that it had taken control of the entire council buildings.
During a fight between the governor’s supporters and those of his predecessor, Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, at Eberi-Omuma in the Omuma Local Government Area of the state, an operative of the force and a member of a local security organisation were killed.
Speaking on the development, the state commissioner for police, Olatunji Disu, said the LG council headquarters would remain shut for the time being due to the clash between the feuding parties.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
