Wike’s 2nd Term Inauguration: Rivers Police Battle Ready

Ahead of today’s inauguration of the second term in office of the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike and his Deputy, Dr Ipalibo Harry Banigo, authorities of the state police command say they are battle ready for the swearing-in ceremony at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Elekahia, in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area of the state.
The police command, therefore, advised members of the public to go about their lawful activities without fear of intimidation and molestation as adequate deployment had been put in place by all the security agencies to ensure the success of the event.
The state Commissioner of Police, Usman Belel, stated this while briefing journalists in Port Harcourt, yesterday, on the preparations put in place by the state police command on the forthcoming inauguration ceremony of the state governor and his deputy.
He said as part of the measures to engender seamless event in the state, the command had drawn up operational deployments for effective service delivery.
According to him, the police command under his watch was not leaving any stone unturned to see that the swearing-in ceremony was hitch-free, devoid of violence and acrimony.
“Though, the event is scheduled to hold at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Elekahia, Port Harcourt, the state capital, our security arrangements are so elaborate that every aspect of the state is covered in our deployments. This is, however, deliberate and only intended to give everybody in the state, a renewed sense of security, including those that will be viewing the event from their homes”, he stated.
The CP warned that the state police command would not tolerate, condone or welcome any act that would undermine or compromise security situation in the state during and after the swearing-in ceremony.
He, therefore, used the opportunity to call on those issuing threats to disrupt or planning to disorganise the event to shelve their evil plans or be prepared to face the full wrath of the law, as the command, he said, would not hesitate to wield the big stick in the circumstance.
Meanwhile, the state police command, yesterday, in Port Harcourt, paraded 44 criminal suspects who were alleged to have been involved in various criminal activities across the state.
Belel, while parading the criminal suspects before newsmen, said 11 cultists, 23 kidnapping and 10 armed robbery suspects were arrested in various parts of the state.
He said three armed robbery operations were also foiled, while three AK-47 riffles, 17 locally-made pistols, three pump action guns, seven magazines, 150 ammunition, 949 cartridges, one FNC rifle, five iron cutters, three vehicles, two bags of Indian hemp and pieces of military uniforms were recovered within the period under review.