Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has urged the new Police Commissioner (CP) posted to the State to shun politics and stay within his professional mandate to fight crime without fear or favour.
Governor Wike gave the charge when the new Commissioner of Police, Mr Friday Eboka paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, Port Harcourt on Friday.
Citing the abduction of over 300 school girls in Zamfara state on Friday, the governor said there was so much criminality in the society and professional police officers should not abandon their duties of doing their best in protecting life and property for any other interest.
Governor Wike said nobody should be above the law and if any criminal was arrested, such person should be charged to court.
“I will never come to you to say Mr CP go and do what is illegal. I will never come to you to say so and so person is my friend, he was arrested for kidnapping, so release him. In fact, I’ll even say take him away.
“Because if I support the person who is kidnapping, it may be my turn tomorrow. I won’t always be governor.
“So, whatever you can do with your team, please I beg you in the name of God, provide security. Don’t come here and play politics.”
The governor said he was not unmindful that some persons might have recommended him to be posted to Rivers State, but he admonished the CP to let his conscience guide him.
He commended the CP for reorganising the C4I unit of the State police command and pledged to support the team to succeed in its task to combat crime.
Governor Wike observed that the level of kidnapping in the State had increased because the immediate past CP abandoned his duty and was hobnobbing with non-state recognised chiefs.
“The level of kidnapping has gone high in the society. Your former colleague abandoned the job and was being deceived by some people who feign that they are traditional rulers.
“It’s most unfortunate that the former CP will be going to traditional rulers to be hosting him. It’s a shame. Now, Nigerians don’t have confidence anymore in security agents.”
The governor disclosed to the new CP how a man who is supposed to be police officer, dressed in mufti and armed with AK-47 harassed his convoy while he was on inspection of the new Rivers State legislative residential quarters on Thursday.
Governor Wike noted that innocent citizens were killed needlessly by such police men and asked the new CP to rid the police of such bad elements and ensure sanity is restored.
“Yesterday (Thursday), I was going out for inspection. We saw one guy carrying Ak-47, not on police uniform. He was on mufti, blocking us from Waterlines Junction when we went to inspect the Rivers State Assembly’s quarters ongoing project.
“We moved on to inspect the Speaker’s residence project, and the man was still following us. So, the security wondered what’s going on and stopped him.”
Governor Wike disclosed to the new CP that his administration had provided the State Police Command not less than 150 vehicles.
He, however, regretted that most of the vehicles had been mismanaged and some diverted.
In his speech, the new Commissioner of Police to Rivers State, Friday Eboka, said he had dissolved the E-Crack team of the State Police Command because of the uncanny report against it and redeployed the officers to other units.
He told the governor that he needed an effective synergy with all stakeholders, especially the Rivers state government to succeed on his mission of crime fighting.
“My duty, essentially in this State is to fight crime and criminality. I know I cannot do that work alone without synergy with other stakeholders.
“I want to assure you (Governor) that any assistance given to us will be used to improve the security of this State. I’ve told my men, that there is no arm chair policing in my administration. My officers have been warned to shun corruption, be civil with the public, and we will not tolerate accidental discharges.”
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