Discussions in hush tones are currently ongoing in the army and police circles over the choice of a retired naval officer as the administrator of Rivers State, now under emergency rule.
President Bola Tinubu declared Emergency rule in Rivers State effective Wednesday, March 19, and appointed a retired Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas as the administrator.
Armadanews.com learned that while the army feel they were better positioned to contain the threat to democracy in Rivers State, the police think that in a democratic setting, they are in a better position to deal with the situation, being the institution that works with the people in a democracy.
A senior police officer told this medium that in a democracy the police was better placed to deal with issues that concern the civil society, hence a serving Police chief or at least a retired police officer should have been appointed as the administrator.
The army, it was gathered, was said to have reasoned that since they are at the core of the security of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country, the best person to have been appointed as administrator would have been an army officer, serving or retired.