The Rivers State Police Command clarified the incident involving the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara, during a protest at the House of Assembly complex in Port Harcourt. The command explained that water cannons and tear gas were used to disperse protesters and were not intended for the governor.

According to the spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, the police received intelligence about armed individuals planning to cause mayhem at the State House of Assembly. In response, armed police operatives were deployed to intercept the group and protect lives and property. The use of non-lethal crowd control equipment was prompted by the protesters' unruly behavior.

The statement mentioned that the presence of Governor Fubara among the protesters was unexpected, as there was no prior communication with the police regarding his visit. The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations took security measures to ensure the governor's safety while assessing the damage caused by a previous fire incident at the complex.

The police asserted that they did not intentionally attack the governor and emphasized their essential role in protecting the chief executive and security officer of the state. The statement aimed to clarify the situation amidst media misrepresentation and assured that adequate security measures were in place to de-escalate the situation and restore calm.