The Nigeria Police Force has denied that the Inspector-General of Police ( I-G), Mr Ibrahim Idris ordered the closure of the Ondo House of Assembly as allegedly reported in a national daily.
A Statement issued by the the Force Spokesman, Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP Jimoh Moshood in Abuja on Tuesday, said that the report was misleading, malicious and capable of misinforming members of the public.
“The story is absolutely a shadowy imagination of the writer and should be disregarded.
“It is pertinent to state that there was no time that the Inspector-General of Police ordered the closure of Ondo State House of Assembly as alleged by the writer,” he said.
Moshood explained that on Jan. 30, there was a report of pandemonium, confusion and disorder in the House of Assembly as a result of fracas between two factions over purported change of leadership.
He said that police personnel from the State command were promptly deployed by the Commissioner of Police in the state to restore normalcy.
He said that the deployment of police personnel to the assembly to restore normalcy was in the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities.
“The Commissioner of Police, Ondo State is in charge of all Operations of the Police in the State and does not need to wait for the order of the Inspector General of Police.
“The police personnel deployed at the House of Assembly complex in Ondo State are to maintain law and order and not to close down the Assembly.
They are under instructions to be civil, firm and strict in the discharge of their duties,” he said.
The spokesman assured the media of its support and cooperation to ensure a crime free society and credible reportage.
He advised the print media not to allow their esteemed newspapers to be used by mischievous persons to publish story that are capable of causing disaffections.
The spokesman said that the Inspector-General of Police would not be distracted or deterred from carrying out his statutory responsibilities.( NAN)
JPE/AFA
