The Rivers State Police Command has recognised the milestones achieved by the state Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike in the command’s ability to succeed in taming crimes and criminalities with an award of Excellence In Crime Fighting in the state.
The award was presented to the governor by the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Friday Eboka, during the 2021 dinner night/awards organised by the state police command at the Police Officers’ Mess in Port Harcourt, over the weekend.
Speaking at the event, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike expressed appreciation to the police command for the honour, but ordered the police and its sister agencies to collaborate with the traditional rulers, and go after individuals responsible for causing the menace of soot challenges ravaging the state, saying that he would give them the needed support in fighting the menace.
The governor, who was represented at the occasion by the Chief of Staff, Government House, Chief Emeka Woke, declared that the state government has resolved to tackle those involved in crude oil theft and artisanal crude oil refining once and for all.
He said that the state government was willing to provide the police and other security agencies all that was required to dislodge and end the activities of artisanal refiners in Rivers State.
“The state is prepared to fight them more than ever before”, he said, adding that since the Commissioner of Police, Friday Eboka assumed duty, last year, Rivers State has witnessed peace and improved policing.
“Little wonder the crime index in the state has reduced drastically. We thought we are the only people witnessing it, but with the award you got from the wife of the Inspector General of Police, it is an eloquent testimony that what we are seeing as a state is also being observed from all over the nation.”
The governor said policing in Rivers State has improved remarkably because the management of the Nigeria Police Force at the Force Headquarters and the state command, respectively, distanced themselves from politics.
The governor thanked the police chief for discharging his duty professionally and not joining the league of some of his predecessors, who were posted to the state to cause turmoil and instability.
Earlier, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Friday Eboka, had commended the state governor for his support and drive in bring peace to the state.
He also thanked Rivers people for their support in giving prompt information on crime and criminalities in their area commanding officers who have given their best in curbing crime, and charged others to gear up.
Eboka explained that 2021 was a remarkable year for the command because Rivers State emerged as one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria.
He thanked Almighty God for His grace and the Inspector General of Police for choosing Rivers State as the venue for the launching of South-South Operation Restore Peace.
According to him, this came with the deployment of Special Forces with sophisticated equipment as well as combat helicopter to the state.
He commended Wike for being very phenomenal in the attainment of peace and security in the state.
“Since my assumption of office, the command has received more than 50 patrol vehicles fitted with modern gadgets from the state government.
“This gesture alone enhanced visibility policing in the state.
“Recall too, when we lost men to miscreants sometime in April, 2021, the governor did not allow us to suffer alone. He wiped the tears of the deceased families with a total sum N220million, which means each family received the sum of N20million.
“Recall the #EndSARS saga? At the end of that saga, which led to the burning down of police stations and vehicles across the nation, the state governor did not abandon us to work under the trees. But rather, the governor constructed a storey building each for the Area Command, Oyigbo and the Divisional Police in Oyigbo.”
Highlight of the event was the conferment of Wike with an award for fighting crime in the state.
The Founder and General Overseer, Omega Power Ministry, Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere, was honoured for his unrelenting assistance to the state police command.
The recipients of the Rivers State Police Command 2021 awards are: G.I.A Godstime Nwuju, who got best traffic officer; Inspector Winfrey Ini Akpan, best controller; CSP Bako Aghashim, best D.P.O; CSP Grace Wonwu, best female DPO; the best visiting tactical team leader went to CSP Adamu, commander of Octopus, were given awards, amongst others.
Wike also donated the sum of N1million to each of the awardees and N10million to support the state police command for organising the event.

By: Amadi Akujobi