IGP urged to intervene in Ofekata Orodo Town Union election crisis
The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, over what it described as the Imo State Police Command’s failure to halt a potential breakdown of law and order in Ofekata Orodo Autonomous Community, Mbaitoli local government area.
In a complaint addressed to the IGP, Executive Director Okechukwu Nwanguma, urged the intervention of the IGP over repeated early warnings to the Imo State Commissioner of Police of a planned defiance of a court order restraining the conduct of a community election by a group, a situation it said could result in breach of peace.
According to RULAAC, it formally petitioned the Commissioner on June 25, alerting him to plans by some persons to conduct a town union election in defiance of a subsisting order of the High Court of Imo State.
According to the group, it continued to update the Commissioner as the situation deteriorated. On June 26, RULAAC informed the Commissioner that organisers were openly campaigning for the election despite his warning to the traditional ruler. The Commissioner reportedly assured RULAAC that he had warned the traditional ruler and would not hesitate to arrest him if he proceeded. However, the group said the organisers ignored the warnings.
On June 27, RULAAC again alerted the Commissioner that the organisers were publicly insisting the election must hold, claiming they had mobilised all security agencies to support it.
RULAAC further alleged that there were credible reports that thugs had been mobilised and that the Divisional Police Officer was openly supporting the exercise, a development it said undermined confidence in lawful intervention.
On Saturday morning, the group said it notified the Commissioner that groups were already gathering with thugs and threatening those opposed to the election.
“Sir, throughout this period, RULAAC has consistently urged restraint, encouraged community members to remain peaceful, and repeatedly provided early warning to the Police to prevent violence,” the petition stated.
“Unfortunately, despite these repeated alerts, there has been no decisive intervention capable of restoring confidence or preventing the looming crisis.”
RULAAC asked the IGP to direct an immediate review of the situation, ensure the subsisting court order is respected, enforce the law impartially, and deploy adequate measures to prevent violence and protect lives and property.
RULAAC said the intervention was urgently needed to avert a breakdown of law and order and to uphold the rule of law.
