President Tinubu Bola Ahmed Tinubu in compliance with the Nigeria Police Force duty has commanded immediate restoration of law and order in Rivers State.
He urged Governor Siminalayi Fubara, political leaders and their supporters in the State to exercise restraint and uphold the rule of law and settle their differences stating: “Self-help has no place in a democratic system.”
President Tinubu said this in a press statement signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, ordering the police to guard public facilities to “Restore and maintain peace, law and order immediately as well as to provide security to local government offices.”
This admonition follows reports of arson and vandalism of public facilities in Rivers State after last Saturday’s Local Government Council elections.
The statement read, “He urged all political actors to de-escalate the situation and discourage their supporters from engaging in violence or destructive actions. 
“While instructing law enforcement agencies to bring the situation under control, he emphasised the need to ensure the security of public institutions. President Tinubu said government facilities built with public funds must be safeguarded from vandalism.
“He stressed that self-help has no place in a democratic system, especially after 25 years of continuous democracy. According to President Tinubu, the judiciary can settle all political disputes, and the outcome of this election should be no exception.”
Reacting to Tinubu’s statement on the crisis, Fubara expressed worry over President Tinubu’s mention of his name in his statement on the destruction of local government secretariats in Rivers.
Fubara said on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Monday, “I do not have any issue with it (the President’s intervention) but I am a bit concerned when my name was only mentioned.
“The issue is very simple. It’s as simple as ABC, everyone in Nigeria, everyone in Rivers State knows where this issue is coming from. It’s not rocket science. We know what the issue is and the issue is not Fubara, it is not.
“I believe strongly that with the recent intervention of the Inspector General of Police, maybe we will have a breathing space.
“Maybe as a result of him pulling his men out of those secretariats might be one of the reasons they (hoodlums) took advantage of the situation but I will appeal that while the men are there, the elected officers should have the opportunity to do their work, at least, let them provide security for them, which was even what I was thinking of.
“I was never of the opinion that the police should pull out completely. No. When they said they were moving out, it was what allowed these miscreants to take advantage of the secretariats to destroy them.”
Governor Fubara also urged his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, to let go of any grip he desires to have control over Rivers State and allow peace reign.
Asked what his message to Wike would be if they met, Fubara said, “I’ll tell him (Wike) that it has gotten to a point where he needs to let go. We need peace in this state.
“You don’t necessarily need to win all the fights; at times, you just let go for the sake of the good people of Rivers State and the love that you have always professed for the state. We need to secure the state.
“Fubara will leave tomorrow. Who knows who is going to come? It might be through him or another person but we need to secure the state.”