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‘3,398 Complaints Against Police, 139 On Excessive Use Of Force’

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The Police Complaints Response Unit (CRU) has released two damning reports about the violations of the rules committed by the police, showing that 3,398 complaints were received between January, 2019 and June, 2020.
The reports, signed by Assistant Commissioner Markus Ishaku Basiran, did not, however, indicate whether the breaches were committed by operatives of the defunct #EndSARS.
But the reports were worrisome enough, as they showed that 1,237 infractions committed in 6 months this year, were more than 50 per cent of the 2,161 total recorded for the whole 2019.
The geographical distribution of the infractions may also explain why #EndSARS campaign has not gained much traction in the northern part of the country.
The report showed that the police were more bestial in the southern states than the north.
For instance, out of the 91 cases of excessive use of force filed against the police in 2019, 25 of them were reported in Lagos.
Eight cases were filed in FCT Abuja and seven each in Rivers and Edo states.
Delta reported four cases, Ogun, Ondo and Niger reported three cases each.
Also in 2019, out of 414 cases of police corruption, in which police illegally demanded money for bail, 90 of the cases were reported in Lagos.
Rivers logged 82 cases, Delta 24 and Anambra 26.
The police top command long time ago, made the rule that bail is free.
In many police stations, this rule is always announced in bold posters, informing the members of the public that they do not need to pay for bail.
Also in the report for 2019, a hefty 1,487 cases were classified as ‘professional misconduct’.
Although the report did not expatiate on the particulars of misconduct, Lagos again recorded the highest at 356.
It is followed by Enugu with 250 cases, Rivers 116 cases, Delta 75 and Anambra 76.
The Police CRU, which has ‘no to impunity’ as its motto, said 1,621 of the cases were resolved, without expatiating.
It also said 324 of them are pending, while 216 were found to be false accusations.
In the first half of this year, 48 cases of excessive force were also reported.
Lagos had 11 cases, the highest.
FCT Abuja logged seven cases, Akwa Ibom five, Rivers and Anambra are tied at three cases.
By June, 959 cases of professional misconduct have been levelled against the Nigerian Police.
Lagos reported 262, FCT Abuja 145, Delta 65, Rivers 61.
Ogun logged 55 of the cases, Edo 48, Oyo 31, Imo 35, Anambra 38.
On complaints for receiving money for bail, Lagos led with 35 cases, Rivers 22, Imo 10, Enugu 10 and Delta 16.
According to the report, 62 of the complaints against the police in the first half year were found to be false.
It said 186 cases were still pending.
The police set up the CRU in 2015.
It has now become an integral part of the police establishment, recognised in the new Police Act signed by President Buhari this year.

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Rivers Capable Of Delivering Massive Votes For Tinubu, Chinda, Others -Fubara …Charges APC, Rainbow Coalition To Embrace Team Work

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Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has declared that the  State is capable of delivering massive votes for President Bola Tinubu,  the  All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Rt. Hon. Kingsley Chinda and other candidates of the Rainbow Coalition in the 2027 general elections.

Fubara, who stated this yesterday at the inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in Port Harcourt, said the surest path to victory is for the  members of the Presidential Campaign Council drawn from the APC and the Rainbow Coalition to embrace the spirit of teamwork.

He said what the state was witnessing in the current political season is a repeat of the successful mobilization done in 2022 and 2023, when a large campaign council worked in unity to deliver victory for him and for President Tinubu.

He added that the present council is bigger, wider and better coordinated and should therefore achieve even better results.

He noted that the beauty of the new council is the fact that some persons who were in the opposition camp during the previous elections are now part of the team, saying their inclusion has made the task easier, provided everyone works as one team and with sincerity of purpose.

The governor thanked the  Coordinator of the Presidential Campaign Council for Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, and other leaders who worked tirelessly to bring the council to fruition, stressing that nothing  is impossible especially when people work together for a common purpose.

He expressed optimism that with seriousness and commitment, the state would record a higher number of votes than it recorded in 2023.

Fubara, while congratulating members who made the list, appealed to those whose names were omitted not to be discouraged, as there are still sub-committees to be constituted and the list can still be updated, even as he warned against double loyalty.

He said the state has gone past the stage of division and is now looking to the future and what God holds for Rivers people, expressing confidence that with the strategy already put in place, the APC and the Rainbow Coalition would come out victorious in 2027.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and Coordinator of the Campaign Council, Chief Nyesom Wike, while  inaugurating the Council, lauded Fubara for finding time to attend the ceremony and other engagements of the Council in spite of his busy schedules.

Wike, who is also the National Leader of the PDP/ Rainbow Coalition, reminded members of the Council that they were chosen based on their capacity to participate  in the activities of the group and deliver positive results.

He charged them to work hard to win votes for the candidates of the APC and the Rainbow Coalition for the Presidential, Governorship, National Assembly as well as State House of Assembly elections next year.

He disclosed that apart from the Presidential Campaign Council and its sub-committees, the Local Government Campaign Councils will soon be inaugurated to ensure better coverage of the grassroots during the current campaign season.

 

 

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RSG Floats MNET Culture Content Promo

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The Rivers State Ministry of Culture and Tourism  has floated a culture content platform in collaboration with digital television group, Multichoice.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Freddy Ndigbara, disclosed this after a meeting with MultiChoice Head of Content Acquisition, Don Dotun Ojon, in Port Harcourt.

He assured that content entrepreneurs and film makers would enjoy the platform by promoting culture and other contents to sell the states tourism potentials.

He said MultiChoice M-net was now open to increase its patronage for content shots on locations in Rivers State, describing the State as one that has numerous potentials for film tourism.

“We were privileged to have Don Ojon with us at the Rivers International Film Festival (RIFF) at the weekend in Bonny and he saw, first hand, the numerous sites and opportunities that are open to creatives in the State. After that, we felt it was important to deepen the conversation and he obliged. This is a cheering news for the sector in the State,” he said.

Ndigbara stated that “Rivers State has many more untold stories to tell, many more contents to reel out and the assurances from the M-net Acquisition Manager is an indication that the industry in the state will soon enjoy a new lease of life”.

The Permanent Secretary thanked Ojon for the visit and assured that creatives in the State would grap this opportunity and show the world that Rivers State is a major hub for film tourism in Nigeria.

On his part, Ojon said the visit was to discuss on ways of promoting tourism in the State using creatives and film.

Ojon said although the company has recently been acquired by canal+ France and is undergoing restructuring, he would promote the chances of Rivers State to host the MultiChoice talent factory in the State.

With Asaba, capital of Delta State, being saturated, Ojon said the next port is Rivers  State, which he said is capable of building fresh crop of creatives, new locations, new story lines and concepts.

He, therefore, called for collaboration from stakeholders in the State.

Kevin Nengia

 

 

 

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APC Presidential Campaign Storms PH, ‘Morrow

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Barring last minute changes, the presidential campaign train of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will storm Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, tomorrow.

This is according to a campaign timetable released by the APC Campaign Council last month.

The Tide reports that the APC presidential campaign kicked off in Kaduna on October 24 with President Bola Tinubu in attendance.

The campaign train later moved to Cross River, Gombe, Nasarawa, and Ekiti on November 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively with the Vice President, Kashim Shettima representing the President at the rallies.

President Tinubu is personally scheduled to attend 12 states including Rivers, Kaduna, Plateau, Oyo, Borno, Enugu, Bauchi, Sokoto, Delta, Kano, Adamawa and Lagos.

The Rivers State rally, scheduled to hold at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt, is expected to witness a large crowd of party supporters drawn from a coalition of political parties in the State.

The party is expected to round off its presidential campaign in Lagos State on January 9, 2027.

The Tide reports that Tinubu has not visited Rivers State as President since he assumed office in May 2023. His last physical visit to the State was before his inauguration on Wednesday, May 3 – Thursday, May 4, 2023, when he was hosted by then Governor Nyesom Wike in Port Harcourt to commission the Rumuola/Rumuokwuta Flyover and the Magistrates’ Court Complex.

Tomorrow’s visit will be his first to the State since assuming office.

 

 

 

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