Photo: Rivers State Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju
The Rivers State Police Command has imposed an 18-hour curfew ahead of the August 30, 2025, Local Government elections. The curfew will take effect from midnight on Saturday, August 30, and will last until 6:00 PM on Sunday, August 31, as part of efforts to ensure a peaceful and secure electoral process.
At a joint security briefing held Thursday at the headquarters of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) in Port Harcourt, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, said the curfew is a proactive measure to prevent security breaches before, during, and immediately after the polls.
He revealed that security operatives have already conducted thorough sweeps of identified hotspots to deter any criminal activity during the election period.
To safeguard the integrity of the process, CP Adepoju noted that accreditation passes for journalists and essential workers will be issued at the last minute to prevent forgery.
“We’re releasing the passes close to the time of the election to minimize the risk of counterfeiting. Even if anyone attempts to forge them, security personnel are trained to spot the differences,” he said.
The Police Commissioner added that accredited media personnel and election observers will receive special stickers to facilitate free and fair coverage of the elections.
“There will be a curfew from midnight on August 30 until 6:00 PM on August 31, just like on regular election days, to ensure public safety,” he emphasized.
Also speaking at the briefing, RSIEC Chairman, Dr. Michael Odey, assured residents that the commission is fully prepared to conduct credible elections. He stated that the commission is in the final stages of pre-election implementation.
To ensure smooth operations regardless of weather conditions, RSIEC has procured raincoats and umbrellas for field staff. Dr. Odey also confirmed that all Ad-hoc staff have undergone proper training to adhere to due process during the elections.
He appealed to the public for cooperation and revealed that non-sensitive election materials have already been securely distributed to local government areas across the state.
“We are committed to delivering a transparent and peaceful local government election. With the support of security agencies and the cooperation of the people, we are confident in the process,” Dr. Odey concluded.
