Residents of Port Harcourt have challenged the Rivers State Police Command to unravel those behind the Monday morning burning of courts in the state.

A businessman, Mr Christopher Ajala, said a situation where three judicial offices were simultaneously burnt was an indication that the security outfit need to live up to the expectations of the people.

“Where was the police? What of the security personnel that guide these offices,” he querried.

Also reacting to the situation, Chief Emmanuel Amakala regretted the growing incident of destruction of lives and property in the state and called on the men of Rivers State Police Command to wake up to its responsibilities.

Chief Amakala regretted that such a dangerous development was used to mark the beginning of the year and advised youths in the state to be wise and refuse being used by some irresponsible politicians especially as 2014 would mark all lot of political activities preparatory to the 2015 elections in Nigeria.

He wants the investigation on the burnt courts to critically examine how the internal security in the affected court premises, remarking that if the security men who are paid to secure the place were on duty, they would have been able to give clue to how it happened.

“Let the Commissioner of Police in the state prove to Rivers people that he has capacity to protect lives and property by unraveling the mystery behind the acts,” he said.

General Manager, Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Mr Celestine Ogolo (left) listening to his Rivers State Television counterpart, Mr Tonye Ekong, during a press conference by the Commissioner for Information and Communications over the bombings in Rivers State, at the Ministry of Justice Hall, last Monday. Photo: Chris Monyanaga.