BY JIMITOTA     ONOYUME
PORT HARCOURT — The Rivers State Police Command has withdrawn from Obio Akpor local government secretariat.

Meantime, barely two hours after the Police withdrawal, some hoodlums reportedly set the generator house at the secretariat on fire.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Angela Agabe confirmed the development to the Vanguard, adding that no arrest had been made.

She said the Police had to move out of the place yesterday when they got the court order asking them to vacate the place.

Chairman of the Obio Akpor Caretaker Committee, Mr Chikordi Dike on his part condemned the action of the hoodlums.

Meanwhile, the Police have filed a stay of execution order at the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt on a ruling delivered by Justice H.A Ngajiwa asking it to vacate Obio Akpor local government secretariat.

It would be recalled that the trial Judge, in his ruling on Monday ordered the Police to withdraw from the secretariat for activities to resume at the place.

Challenging the verdict counsel to the Inspector General of Police, IG, Donald Denwigwe, SAN quickly filed the Stay of Execution order same day at the court and further appealed the ruling of the trial judge at an appellate court.

Counsel to the IG, Denwigwe, SAN    among other things challenged the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter.  According to him, since the issue before the court had to do with local government administration, a Federal High court would not be the proper place to deal with it.

He said they were also challenging the validity of the appointment of the Caretaker committee, adding that they had to come up with the stay of execution order for the Police to remain at the secretariat until the issues before the appeal court were dealt with.  “If the Police vacate and our appeal succeeds at the end of the day what are we appealing on “, he said.

Denwigwe said it was good the Police remained at the secretariat to guarantee safety of lives and properties.

According to him, it would be proper the court determines who should administer the council before the police vacate the place since the Caretaker Committee and those suspended by the House of Assembly were in court over who should administer the place.

“So we see a clash, this justifies why the Police should remain at the council”.