Rivers
Police Boss Tasks Newsmen
Journalists in the state have been called upon to follow up reported cases of brutality on them by law enforcement agents.
The call was made by the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Police Command, Barr. Bala Hassan, during a courtesy call on him by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Dr Godwin Mpi, in his office recently.
The commissioner emphasised that it was wrong for people to assume that the police authorities covered their men when they harass or brutalise innocent citizens, adding that journalists should ensure that proper investigation is carried out on cases of brutality by the Police.
On the part of the Police, the commissioner promised that feedback would be sent out to complainants.
He stressed that people should make distress calls to Police Control Room phone numbers, which are placed on bill boards located at strategic places in the state whenever there is threat or danger of criminals, in emergency situations and when they are unduly harassed by law enforcement agents.
He advised interested members of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Radio, Television and Theatre Arts Workers Union (RATTAWU) and the general public to join the Police Officers Mess for which membership forms are currently available, adding that such association would form a forum for better interaction between the Police on one hand, and media practitioners and the general public, on the other hand.
Earlier, the permanent secretary, had asked the commissioner to find ways of stopping harassment of journalists on duty by policemen, adding that for reported cases, the police should ensure that justice is done and feedback communicated to complainants.
He noted that efforts should be made to promote cordial relationship between media practitioners, police, governemtn and the general public.
Dr. Mpi stated that he had been informed by NUJ that efforts are on the way to provide identity cards for genuine journalists in the state which will be made known to the police and appealed to the police boss to assist the union to fish out fake journalists after the identification process would have been completed.
In his speech the State Chairman of the NUJ, Mr Opaka Dokubo, appealed to the commissioner to ensure that justice is done in the case of Ken Donatus, a staff of The Tide newspaper who was brutalized by some law enforcement agents on April 2, 2009.
In the entourage of the permanent secretary, were the State Chairman of NUJ, State Chairman of RATTAWU, Mr Saro Ginale, Director of Public Enlightenment Department of the Ministry, Mr Rufus Diri and others.

Chairman of the occasion, Chief Albert Horsfall (standing) addressing participants of 7th Round Table Discussion Programme on Embrace & Participate in the Amnesty Initiative for Peace and Development of the Niger Delta organised by the National Orientation Agency at Moscow Road, Port Harcourt, yesterday while the Director of NOA, Chief Andy Nweye (right) and HOD, Mass Communication Dept, UST, Dr Godwin B. Okon watch. Photo: Nwiueh Donatus Ken
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Rivers
Rivers Judiciary Denies Issuing Court Order Stopping SOLAD from Swearing in RSCSC Members
The Rivers State Judiciary has denied a media report claiming that Justice Frank Onyiri of the State High Court issued an injunction order restraining the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), from inaugurating the newly appointed members of the Rivers State Civil Service Commission (RSCSC).
In a statement issued by the Deputy Chief Registrar in charge of litigation at the High Court, Menenen Poromon (Esq), the state Judiciary disassociated itself from the report, describing it as malicious and fabricated.
The statement emphasized that the report was a falsehood and a misrepresentation of what transpeared in the court.
Poromon clarified that no such order was issued by Justice Onyiri or any other judge of the High Court of the state and urged the public to disregard the information, as it lacked any iota of truth.
The statement however advised the public to verify any information concerning the state Judiciary directly from the office of the Chief Registrar, High Court of the State, to avoid spreading of misinformation.