City Crime
Security Challenges And Achievements In Rivers
The importance of security cannot be over-emphasised. It is the bedrock of sustainable development in every country. More so, it is the foundation on which economic growth strives as such promotes and beefs up the confidence reposed in the leaders entrusted with the governance. Although achieving absolute security is desirable, it is not probable. Society devoid of peace is bound to collapse.
Attaining high level of security comes with a lot of sacrifice and commitment from both the leaders and the led.
In Rivers State, Governor Nyesom Wike‘s administration has intensified its efforts to ensure the security of inhabitants and caused the prevalence of the much needed peace through a deliberate and concerted effort. This was done through massive support to security operatives in the state.
There is no gainsaying of the fact the state occupies a strategic position in economic and political sectors of the country; that is why all hands must be on deck to complement government’s efforts. Consequently, government’s effort to ensure a conducive environment for inhabitants of the state is underscored by both financial and logistic support given to the security agencies.
Apart from providing the aforementioned support for the security operatives, the state government has also provided for families of security operatives, who had lost their lives in active service, while enforcing and maintaining peace.
Despite all odds, security operatives in the state recorded major achievements in 2020; they carried out aggressive onslaught against criminal gangs by taking the war to their hideouts in every nook and cranny before the novel COVID-19 pandemic shut down the country.
Interestingly, the pandemic did not deter the security agencies, especially the Rivers State command of the Nigerian police, from carrying out its statutory responsibilities as they were available to enforce the state-imposed lockdown and other COVID-19 rules.
In the month of July precisely, the state government launched a joint security outfit codenamed “Operation Sting,” to address the issue of violent crimes such as: kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism and sea piracy, among others.
The state government supported the outfit through the provision of patrol vans, gunboats and sophisticated weapons. In spite of the frequent changes in the leadership of the state police command, the security outfit lived up to expectation and maintained law and order.
The incumbent Commissioner of Police, Mr Joseph Mukan, assumed office as the 40th Commissioner of Police in Rivers State on April, 2020, swung into action, and ensured that there was peace. Most importantly, CP Mukan has reduced crime to the barest minimum.
The nightmarish cultism and kidnapping have almost been consigned to the rubbish heap of history because of the onslaught against criminals spearheaded by the state police under Mukan, thereby ushering in a new lease of life for Rivers inhabitants.
Again, the ferocity of sea piracy has ebbed with the tide. Many hoodlums have abandoned the twin crime of kidnapping and cultism leaving in its wake a friendlier environment, courtesy of the commitment of the CP.
Under Mukan, the Rivers State Police Command achieved a major feat in 2020, when the notorious cultist Honest Digbara (aka Bob Risky) was killed. Digbara had killed many and committed a plethora of heinous crimes along the Ogoni axis of the state. consequently at his death, residents in the area heaved a sigh of relief.
CP Mukan is elated about the achievement so far recorded by his command.
“On assumption of duty as the 40th Commissioner of Police in April, last year, I met some challenging situations on ground. But with the benefit of hindsight, I re-strategised and repositioned my men, with a strong charge to embark on aggressive intelligence- driven policing with a view to gathering actionable information, which ultimately led to dislodgment of criminals. A case in point being the arrest of the most dreaded gang leader, Honest Digbara(Aka Bob Risky) who was declared wanted by the state government with a bounty of N30,000, 000. He was eventually arrested and the bounty redeemed,” he said.
“Not resting on the oars of that achievement, I continued with my sustained onslaught against all criminal elements in the state. To this end I can proudly tell you between April and now, I have been able to arrest and prosecute a good number of suspected kidnappers, armed robbers, rescued kidnap victims and recovered large cache of arms/ammunition, among other achievements.
As you can see, we are again in another period, characterised by upsurge in criminal activities. The command is not oblivious of the fact that, this is the period where criminals take advantage to unleash havoc on unsuspecting persons. In the view of the above, therefore, we have put in place elaborate and workable security measures that will contain the curtail these nefarious activities.”
The police deployed its personnel in to strategic locations in the state, in line with visibility policing strategy and ensured that critical government infrastructure, vulnerable and key points are given special attention, including worship and fun centres.
“Our strategy has also captured the coastal to ensure that, those travelling to riverine communities are safe. The Marine police, the mobile police and the tactical units have been put on red alert to ensure a seamless celebration, including the undercover operations,” he stated
The police with other security agencies were able to curtail the excesses of members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who were on rampage in some parts of the state within the year under view
Caches of weapons and ammunition were rescued, while over 20 kidnapped victims were also released from their captors.
The Oyigbo, Umuebula and Afam Divisional Areas in the command, were burnt and looted and remain at a gory state till the moment.
Again, the police in its avowed affront on criminals in the state confiscated one radio transmission set belonging to Biafra Radio, large quantities of IPOB T-shirts and face caps
A calendar bearing the photograph of Nnamdi Kanu, one Television set, customised machetes, bearing members’ names
Substances used in worship of their god, ezumezu amadioha juju.
Again another cheering story of the year 2020 was the arrest of one Godspower Saturday, male, aged 23 years and David Simeon, suspected kidnappers, whose gang kidnapped a staff of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Tamuno Igbikibere-bima Esq.
Igbikiberebima Esq was kidnapped at his residence in Rumuigbo in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state but was freed through the effort of the police.
The police have given assurances that they would improve on their performances in 2020 but they need to improve on their relationship with the rest of the society. Unfortunately, not many people believe on the ability of the police to guarantee unblemished law enforcement. Most people have lost confidence in the security agency.
The #ENDSARS protest in the state was another ugly situation which made the police to become the highest victims as about five personnel alongside other security men lost their lives.
A former staff of the Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, publisher of The Tide Newspapers, Idongpee Akwaowo Reuben, has been appointed the Acting Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria (ICCON) by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Akwaowo’s appointment follows the expiration of the second tenure of the former Registrar, Chemist Jwalshik Wilford.
According to a letter released from the office of the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare dated August 5, 2026, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, said the appointment was with immediate effect.
The minister had earlier announced Akwaowo’s appointment during a meeting with the Permanent Secretary, Heads of Departments, and Directors in June 10, 2026 in the Minister’s Conference Room.
He said the appointment was automatic and effective 1st June, 2026 following the satisfactory handover that followed the succession procedure.
The Minister nullified the earlier process put in place for a substantive appointment, citing it as a contravention of the provision of the ICCON Act.
He further directed that the appointment letter be issued without further delay.
The Minister admonished the new ICCON Chief Executive to take charge and ensure that the Institute is on the path of peace and progress to deliver her mandates.
In his response, Akwaowo thanked the the Federal Government for the appointment which, he said, has laid every uncertainty surrounding the leadership of the Institute to rest.
He pledged his unalloyed loyalty to the Federal Government and the Minister and promised to work with his Management Team to align with the policy directives of the Ministry as well as the renewed hope agenda of the Federal Government.
Akwaowo joined ICCON in 2005 as a pioneer staff, rose through the ranks and served in many capacities transcending virtually all the departments in the Institute including HOD, Administration/Accounts & Finance.
Most recently, he served as the pioneer Team Lead and the Registrar/CEO Representative in the National Chemical Personnel Audit excercise to Chemical companies and Chemistry Departments in Tertiary Institutions as part of the Institute’s regulatory mandates.
He has attended several courses and workshops and represented the Institute at various conferences and fora.
Akwaowo is a Chartered Chemist and also a member of a number of professional bodies.
He rose to the rank of Director, Scientific in 2025, and was until his appointment, the Coordinator, Zonal Offices of ICCON.
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The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has asked the National Assembly to immediately withdraw the proposed Nigeria Data Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2026, describing it as a backdoor attempt to regulate social media and expand government control over online expression.
SERAP warned that it would institute legal action if the bill is passed in its current or substantially similar form.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Ned Nwoko (APC, Delta North), seeks to compel social media platforms, data controllers and data processors operating in Nigeria to establish physical offices in the country.
It also empowers the Nigeria Data Protection Commission to shut down or prohibit the operations of any entity that fails to comply within 30 days.
In a letter dated July 18, 2026, and addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, SERAP said the proposed amendment posed a threat to constitutionally guaranteed rights.
The letter, signed by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare and issued on Sunday, read in part, “Requirements compelling technology companies to establish local offices would increase government leverage over platforms, facilitate political pressure, make censorship demands easier and expose local employees to retaliation.
“The Bill would create sweeping powers capable of shutting down or excluding social media platforms from the Nigerian market and expose millions of Nigerians to serious violations of their constitutionally and internationally guaranteed human rights.”
SERAP argued that the bill revives previous attempts to regulate social media that attracted widespread public opposition.
“The current Bill revives substantially similar proposals previously introduced by Senator Nwoko, raising renewed concerns that localisation requirements are being used as a vehicle for expanding governmental control over digital platforms and online expression,” it said.
The organisation warned that it would challenge the legislation in court if enacted.
“Should the Bill be enacted into law in its current or substantially similar form, SERAP shall promptly take all appropriate legal actions to challenge its legality in the public interest and to ensure that Nigerians’ fundamental rights are fully protected,” the letter stated.
According to SERAP, the proposed legislation would give the Nigeria Data Protection Commission excessive powers to block digital platforms without adequate procedural safeguards.
“The Bill constitutes a backdoor attempt to regulate social media and increase governmental control over online expression through corporate localisation requirements rather than through transparent and constitutionally permissible regulation,” it said.
The group argued that the bill lacks provisions for prior judicial authorisation, meaningful opportunities for compliance beyond the proposed 30-day period, and safeguards to protect the rights of millions of Nigerians who rely on digital platforms.
SERAP also cited the judgment of the ECOWAS Court of Justice on Nigeria’s suspension of Twitter, arguing that the proposed amendment could produce similar consequences by indirectly excluding social media platforms from operating in the country.
“The Bill also risks recreating the very dangers previously condemned by the ECOWAS Court of Justice. In SERAP and Others v. Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Court held that the suspension of Twitter violated the rights to freedom of expression, access to information and media freedom protected under the African Charter.
“Although the present Bill differs from the Twitter suspension in form, it creates the possibility of achieving the same result indirectly by empowering regulators to prohibit digital platforms from operating in Nigeria.
“The National Assembly should not enact legislation capable of producing, through indirect regulatory means, the very restrictions on fundamental rights that regional human rights law prohibits,” the organisation said.
It maintained that while governments have a legitimate interest in regulating digital platforms, such measures must comply with constitutional guarantees and international human rights standards.
The organisation further warned that mandatory localisation requirements would increase compliance costs for technology companies, startups, educational institutions and artificial intelligence developers.
“The proposed amendment conflicts directly with the objectives of the Nigeria Startup Act 2022 and the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy.
“Mandatory localisation requirements substantially increase compliance costs, particularly for startups, open-source projects, educational institutions, research organisations, AI developers and smaller technology companies, while reducing Nigeria’s attractiveness as a destination for innovation and investment.
“No major democratic jurisdiction requires every social media platform to establish a physical office as a blanket precondition for providing services.”
SERAP added, “The National Assembly should immediately reject and withdraw the Bill, as it is manifestly incompatible with the Nigerian Constitution and Nigeria’s obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”