Kimo’s Crime Fighting Strategy In Rivers

Mr Kimo

Unarguably, Rivers
State is among one of the leading oil rich States in Nigeria and occupies a very important position within the Niger Delta region. It has boundaries with four States, namely Bayelsa, Imo, Akwa Ibom and Abia.  The state also plays host to multinational companies and indeed, it is regarded as the economic heart-beat of the nation.
Consequently, because of its abundant economic fortunes, criminalities and other anti-social vices thrive in the area.  Criminals often see the state as a safe haven and as such, witnesses influx of criminals on a daily basis.
The state had in the past experienced an upsurge of kidnapping and armed robbery cases.  Moreso, the operations of these unidentified hoodlums who operate with sophisticated weapons in coordinated syndicates, sometimes, put a threat to the economic fortunes of the state.
Many business owners and multinational companies are often tempted to leave the state due to the increase in insecurity and robbery incidents, Proliferation of arms had become a daily occurence in the society and now poses difficulty in policing the state.
Rivers State had in 2015 experienced a change of guard in the police command, with three Commissioners of Police having their taste of leadership in the oil rich state.  They are CP Dan Bature, Chris O Ezike and Musa Kimo.   All of these police bosses had their tactics aimed at tackling the wave of crime rates in the state.
The Rivers State police command has an effectively motivated workforce comprising 56 commands and fifty-six divisional headquarters with total strength of 17,338 personnel.
In September, 2015, when CP Musa Kimo assumed office as the 35th  Commissioner of Police in the state. During his maden address to the state, he had said. “Without mincing words that we now have zero tolerance to crime and criminality.  We have always expressed strong commitment and unwavering resolve to rid the state of indescribable elements”.  Aware of the enormous task before him and in a bid to realise this noble objective, the commissioner of police through a deliberate implementation of strategies and methodologies geared towards reducing crime and criminality in the state, re-organised the various crime fighting mechanisms, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Anti-Kidnapping Unit (AKU) and Anti-Cultism Unit (ACU) to meet these targets.
To ensure that the state is crime free, the police commissioner put in a robust vehicular and foot patrols monitoring by policemen, with the maximum utlisation of Safer Highway Patrol and the “Rapid Response Team (RRT) vehicles, constant and consistent raids of criminal hideouts, based on intelligence led policing. Moreso, intensive stop and search of all vehicles are put in place.
Briefing newsmen on Thursday 7th January 2016, on the activities of the command in 2015, the state Commissioner of Police, CP Musa Kimo said the police recovered 5,132 weapons and arrested 791 criminals for various offences committed across the state, last year.
CP Musa Kimo also disclosed that the command within the 2015 arrested 329 kidnappers, 375 among whom, 98 armed robbers and145 kidnap suspects were fatally wounded (killed).
“The police also rescued 337 kidnapped victims, foiled seven bank robberies as well as arrested 13 rape/defilement suspects within the period under review”.
According to him, the command recovered 80AK 47 riffles, 123 pump action guns, 4251 locally made pistols, 349 short guns, 78 double barrel and 31 single barrel guns adding that the police also recovered 56 assault riffle, 92 locally made long guns, 16 English Pistols, one rocket propelled grenade and one general purpose machine gun.
The police boss also announced that last year, the police recovered 11,917 assorted ammunition, 101ED materials, 9945 cartridges, 101 assorted vehicles as  well as N137,000,000.00.
These monumental achievements by the Kimo led police administration in the state was predicated on many variables, dogged and unflinching commitment of the officers and men of the command, the citizen’s cooperation in information gathering to the police, as well as state government support to the security operatives.
Mr Chigozie Amadi, a security expert while assessing the performance of the police in the state commended the police in the state  for ensuring that absolute security and peace were sustained noting that the people of the state now sleep with their two eyes closed.
He particularly commended the police operations during the last year’s Christmas celebration which according to him, recorded a low criminal activities in the state adding that it was the robust security surveillance put in place by   the police that made the state to be peaceful.
“Security is not to be left for police alone but the citizens have responsibility by giving useful information to them to enable the act”.
This cache of arms recovered by the police has been described as the highest arm hall in town, recovered even during the militancy era.  However, people are worried on how the police will deposed these illegal arms catched by the police without them going back to the hands of the criminals.
The state police public relations officer (PPRD), DSP Ahmad Mohammed in reaction to this, told journalists recently, that the police plans to mob all arms illegally  sessed by people in the state adding that the process of disposing illegal arms lies with the Inspector-General of Police.
DSP Ahmad also disclosed that the command through the leadership of the commissioner of police has rebranded the uniforms of the SARS to conform to their job as well as to make the on-going war against crimes and criminality in the state more effective in 2016.
While these monumental achievements will not have been realised without the cooperation of the citizens of the state, CP Musa Kimo has continued to appeal to members of the public for improved partnership with the police to stamp out criminals from the state and has given the following police distress lines for people to call in time of emergencies 80832003514, 08028915460, 08028915462 and 08160723892.  All the police need now is the citizens support and cooperations.

Akujobi Samuel Amadi