President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has ordered an inquiry into police's obstruction of the inaugural congress of former President Abdulla Yameen's People's National Front (PNF) party last night and asked for a report to be submitted before sunset, accusing police of acting against his instructions.
The PNF congress was obstructed because the Education Ministry asked for the event to be stopped and for the school to be protected, police said. However, speaking to the media today, President Muizzu said he had repeatedly told Home Minister Ali Ihusan and Commissioner of Police Ali Shujau not to send Specialist Operations (SO) riot police to political gatherings.
"Then I called the CP. I asked him why this was happening. On something that I had given clear instructions about. [I told him] that I want this to be investigated, how it happened, who gave what orders...the Home Minister has been told as well that I should get a report after the investigation is completed before sunset tonight," the President said.
The PNF congress was due to take place at Ghiyasuddin school. But the school later informed the party that the assembly could not go ahead. However, when the PNF tried to hold the event at the school hall, police arrived in riot gear and used pepper spray as well. A police officer also fell into the crowd amid the tumult.
"...many regrettable things happened because they did something that I didn't want, and again something that I absolutely told them not to do. So truthfully I couldn't even sleep last night because of it. I still keep thinking about it. I don't think I would get any sleep until I get this report, go deep into this and until it is resolved," the President said in an interview with some media outlets.
SO police went to Ghiyasuddin last night despite very clear and repeated instructions, the President said. Police were also told that action would be taken against any government official who issued instructions to the contrary, President Muizzu said.
"I very much regret what happened last night. I met the police very recently. I spoke about it at the meeting that night. I told all police then and the instruction I gave before that to the CP, senior officers and the Home Minister as well was that no political instruction of any kind would come from me to harm or pester anyone politically. And that it won't come from any level of the government. If it did, that would be something that I would take action over as well," he said.
Police were instructed that the President would directly order it in circumstances when SO police need to be dispatched, he said.
"While that was the case, what we saw last night was very wrong. I gave very clear instructions that SO police shouldn't be sent at all, shouldn't at all. [That] if they needed to be sent, I would know when the country has reached that point. [That] I would say when such a thing needs to be done," the President said.
The President was at a campaign event when police obstructed the PNF congress. Neither the police nor the Home Minister informed him about the police conduct at Ghiyasuddin despite the instructions not to send SO police, the President said.
"I found out after the event was over and I saw photos in the news of SO police going and putting up barricades there and different things happening. I very much regret it that they went like that on something where there was very clear instructions from me," the President said.
The President said he immediately called Home Minister Ali Ihusan.
"I attended to it immediately. I called the Home Minister and asked how this happened after I gave clear instructions. Then the Minister said he had also told the CP that," the President said.
But the President said he did not believe police deliberately defied his instructions.
"I am not excusing anybody. I don't believe either that someone I appointed would deliberately do such a thing," the President said. "Necessary action will be taken," he said.
The President said he wanted to take action over the incident and gain public trust in the police institution and the government.
"I will take action against those who did this after getting the investigation report today. I want to restore public trust in the police institution. I want the public to have trust in my government," President Muizzu said.
Police assured cooperation with the government inquiry today. However, the reason for acting against the President's instructions could not be disclosed at present because the inquiry was ongoing, police said.
The congress for the PNF's formation took place at the Raalhugadu surf point area last night after police obstructed the initial gathering. Yameen's son Zain Abdulla Yameen was appointed as the party's interim president.
