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New Rivers CP Reads Riot Act To Policemen …Orders Withdrawal Of Orderlies To Undeserving Persons
Worried by the lack of professionalism displayed by some Police Officers in the discharge of their duties, the new Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Chris O. Ezike, has warned Policemen in the state to justify their monthly pay by performing commensurate duties.
The Commissioner of Police also warned that idleness, Lazity and poor attitude to crime fighting as well as reckless use of firearms against the provision of the Force Order 237 would no longer be tolerated, even as he charged them to display professionalism, operate within the laws, rules and extant regulations.
The State Police boss gave the warning during his inaugural address and press briefing following a meeting with Senior Officers, Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) and Heads of Departments (HODs) in the command yesterday at the Police Officers’ Mess, Port Harcourt.
The new Police boss said the essence of the meeting was to enable him interact and brainstorm with the Senior Officers to learn about the peculiar law enforcement challenges they faced in their departments, divisions, and formations to enable them develop fresh approaches and adopt measures that would complement existing strategies.
According to him, “the objective of this focus, is to combat cultism, kidnapping, armed robbery, homicide and other violent crimes that undermine the state’s peace, security and general well-being.
“The state occupies a vital economic position in the affairs of the country.
We cannot, therefore, close our eyes and pretend that all is well,” he said.
“Operationally, we shall adopt high visibility policing method. Policemen must not only be on patrol but must be seen to be on patrol. We shall also develop and implement a standard operation procedure that would enhance coordination to distress management, and consequently, reduce response time”, he added.
He posited that high visibility policing will give the citizenry psychological assurance, besides the physical certainty but requires enonomous manpower, adding that he was convinced that with personnel strength of 15,521, three Mobile Police Force Squadrons, excluding visiting units, the command has the manpower to ensure effective and efficient policing in the state.
Ezike said that within the same framework, any Police Officer that abuses the goodwill he enjoys or wastes same on the platform of ineptitude or corruption, would be fully sanctioned in accordance with the law.
The Commissioner of Police told the officers that the handover notes he received from his predecessor show that the trend and pattern of serious crimes in the state have become worrisome to the citizens, especially kidnapping and armed robbery, fueled by cultism, and promised the readiness of his administration to wipe the scourge of criminality in the state as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, in a determined effort to promote effective and efficient policing, the new Rivers State Police Commissioner, Mr. Chris Okey Ezeike, has ordered the immediate withdrawal of all Police Mobile Force personnel attached to persons that are not entitled to have such persons without the approval of Inspector-general of police.
The Commissioner also directed all Area Commanders, Heads of Department and DPOs to act accordingly by enforcing the strict directive.
Ezeike gave the directive during a meeting yesterday at Police Officers’ mess in Port Harcourt, with Senior Police Officers within the Command as part of his maiden meeting with them on his assumption of office as the new Police helmsman in the state.
He disclosed that a monitoring task force would soon be constituted to ensure compliance with the order, adding that the action was part of his administration’s drive to promote efficient policing in the state.
He said that his administration will focus on providing qualitative service to the people, fight crimes such as armed robbery, kidnapping and cultism with every strength the Police can muster.
According to him, the Police will partner with other security agencies and non-state actors in a professional and transparent manner as well as respect the rights of the citizens while abhorring corruption.
Ezeike used the opportunity to re-emphasise the cardinal policy of the Inspector-General of Police’s administration on robust fight against violent crimes, focus on intelligence-led policing, ban on road blocks and replacement with safer High-Way Patrols, restorative justice, amongst others.
He told the officers that he is in the state “with tremendous goodwill, open hands and mind, willingness to work, partner with all to ensure we make the state safer, secure, better and prosperous”.
On the use of tinted glasses without authorization, the Commissioner said the Command was worried about the increase despite several directives by his predecessors, noting that persons of questionable character and criminals have been observed to be in the habit of using tinted glass cars to commit all sorts of atrocities.
“To this effect” he said, ‘with effect from 10th July, 2015, therefore, all vehicles which flout this directive will be impounded and the owners arrested and prosecuted”.
He, however, said that the task ahead of the new Police leadership was daunting but not impossible, and solicited for the co-operation of other security agencies, the media, civil society, market organizations, tertiary institutions and the general public in the quest for a safer state.
Nigerians were among more than 140 residents injured after Iran launched multiple ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles at the United Arab Emirates, at the weekend.
This raised fresh fears for thousands of Nigerians living and working in the Gulf nation.
The UAE Ministry of Defence disclosed last Saturday that its air defence systems intercepted several missiles and drones fired from Iran, describing the attack as a major escalation in the ongoing regional tensions.
In a statement posted on its official X handle, the ministry said its air defence units engaged nine ballistic missiles and 33 drones during the latest assault on March 14.
It added that the attacks left six people dead and 141 others injured, including foreign nationals.
“The UAE air defence systems on March 14 engaged nine ballistic missiles and 33 UAVs launched from Iran,” the ministry stated.
“Since the onset of this blatant Iranian aggression, UAE air defences have engaged 294 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,600 UAVs launched from Iran,” UAE added.
According to the ministry, those killed in the attacks included citizens of the UAE as well as foreign nationals from Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh.
“Although the authorities did not specify the exact locations where the casualties occurred, the ministry said the injured victims were from several countries, including Nigeria.
Others affected include residents from Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, the Philippines, Pakistan, Iran, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
The list also included Azerbaijan, Yemen, Uganda, Eritrea, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Bahrain, Comoros, Türkiye, Iraq, Nepal, Oman, Jordan, Palestine, Ghana, Indonesia and Sweden.
The Tide reports that this development has sparked concern among Nigerian communities in the UAE, where thousands of citizens live and work in sectors such as construction, hospitality, logistics and trade.
Data from Nigeria’s diaspora commission shows that the UAE remains one of the largest destinations for Nigerian migrants in the Middle East, particularly in the emirates of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
The Nigerian government had in recent years raised concerns over the safety and welfare of its citizens in the country following diplomatic tensions and visa restrictions affecting Nigerians.
Saturday’s attacks have now heightened anxieties within the diaspora community, especially as the Gulf region faces growing military confrontations.
In its statement, the UAE Ministry of Defence said the country remained fully prepared to confront any threats to its security.
“The Ministry of Defence remains fully prepared and ready to deal with any threats and will firmly confront any attempts to undermine state security in a manner that ensures the protection of its sovereignty, security and stability, and safeguards its national interests and capabilities,” the ministry said.
In a separate update, the ministry noted that its defence systems were still actively intercepting missiles and drones.
“UAE air defences are dealing with Iranian ballistic and cruise missiles and drones,” it said.
Regional media reports indicate that the attacks form part of a wider escalation of hostilities between Iran and Western-backed forces in the Middle East.
According to Al Jazeera, Iran has continued sustained missile and drone strikes across the Gulf despite protests from neighbouring states.
The strikes were said to be in retaliation for military operations launched by the United States and Israel against Iranian positions in the region.
Tehran targeted several Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, late on Friday and into Saturday.
The attacks also caused infrastructural damage in parts of the UAE.
Meanwhile, Iran’s elite military wing, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, warned that US interests in the UAE would remain legitimate targets.
Iranian state media reported that the group issued the warning after US forces attacked Iranian-controlled islands.
The IRGC specifically mentioned ports, docks and military installations linked to the United States as potential targets.
It also urged residents in the UAE to evacuate areas around ports and military facilities to avoid civilian casualties.
Security analysts say the growing exchange of threats and strike across the Gulf could destabilise the region’s economic and aviation activities if the conflict escalates further.
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has yet to issue an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has charged the five new commissioners sworn-in last Wednesday to put in their best for the development of the State.
Fubara gave the charge during the swearing-in of the commissioners at the Executive Council Chambers of the Government House, Port Harcourt, last Wednesday.
This followed the successful screening of the five commissioners by the Rivers State House of Assembly, last Tuesday.
The five commissioners are Tonye Bellgam, Prof. Temple Nwofor, Dr. Peters Nwagor, Mr. Lekue Kenneth, and Sir Amairigha Edward Hart.
The Tide reports that the governor had sent nine commissioner-nominees to the Assembly for screening, but the Assembly confirmed only five nominees and rejected the nomination of four over various allegations.
Those rejected by the Assembly are Prof. Dantonye Alasia, Mrs. Charity Demua, Mr. Tamuno Williams, and Otonye Amachree.
The governor congratulated the new commissioners on their appointment, noting that their thorough screening by the Rivers State House of Assembly was a proof of their capabilities.
He urged them to deploy their wealth of experience in various fields and put the State on a fast lane of development.
“Ordinarily, I am supposed to charge you on your responsibilities and how to operate. But that has been taken care of by the screening at the Assembly.
“I believe that going through one of the most rigorous screenings, it is enough to say that for those of you who succeeded, you are fit and ready to deliver to our dear State.
“So there is no further charge. The screening was the charge, so I wish you the best as I don’t expect anything less than the best from you,” Fubara said.
The Nigerian Navy has intensified its crackdown on crude oil theft and illegal bunkering, destroying a reactivated illegal refinery site in Rivers State and intercepting suspected stolen petroleum products in Calabar, Cross River State.
The Director of Naval Information, Capt Abiodun Folorunsho, disclosed this in a statement released in Abuja, yesterday.
Folorunsho said personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship SOROH, operating under Operation DELTA SENTINEL, destroyed a reactivated illegal refinery site at Okolomade Community in Abua-Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State.
He said the action followed credible intelligence that a previously dismantled illegal refining site had resumed operations.
According to him, an Anti–Crude Oil Theft team deployed to the location discovered that the dismantled refining oven had been reconstructed.
“Further exploitation of the area led to the discovery of additional refining equipment and storage facilities containing about 3,000 litres of product suspected to be illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO),” he said.
Folorunsho added that the illegal refining infrastructure, including ovens, storage tanks, hoses, connected pipes and newly acquired metal components used for illegal refining, was destroyed in line with operational procedures.
He said personnel of the Nigerian Navy Ship Victory, in another operation, intercepted about 3,950 litres of suspected stolen petroleum products at the Nigerian Ports Authority area in Calabar, Cross River State.
He said the interception was based on credible intelligence on suspected siphoning of petroleum products from vessels berthed at the port.
The naval patrol team, according to him, swiftly deployed to the area and traced the illegally siphoned products to a trailer park within the port facility.
“On sighting the naval patrol team, the suspected perpetrators fled the scene, after which the area was cordoned off and the illegally siphoned products secured,” he said.
Folorunsho said further inspection led to the recovery of about 3,950 litres of Automotive Gas Oil stored in drums and jerrycans, which had been evacuated to the naval base for further necessary action in line with extant regulations.
He noted that the successes aligned with the directive of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, to intensify operations against crude oil theft and other maritime crimes across Nigeria’s maritime domain.
Folorunsho reiterated the Navy’s commitment to sustaining the operational tempo of Operation DELTA SENTINEL through intensified surveillance, patrols and intelligence-driven operations aimed at combating crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and other forms of economic sabotage.