The Assistant Inspector
General (AIG) in-charge of Maritime Command, Kalafixe  Adeyemi has assured of adequate security of the waterways before, during and after the forthcoming general elections.
Adeyemi  gave the assurance during a familiarisation tour of Ports Authority Police, Eastern Ports Command in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Monday.
According to her, the police would continue to proffer solution in containing violence and crisis during the elections as it is also putting in place all logistics in ensuring that the waterways are safer and protected during the exercise.
She reiterated that the police, especially those of the marine department had been adequately repositioned to face the challenges of possible security threats that might arise on the  waterways during the elections.
The AIG Maritime Command said, “my men, especially the marine police are up and doing.  They have been patrolling the waterways and we have been lecturing our men to be of good behaviour and I know they are going to perform well.
We are out to do our jobs and to be on steady patrol of the waterways.  We have the capacity to face whatever challenges that may confront us”.
Adeyemi disclosed that the tour being a directive from the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abba was to further strategise  on how to provide all necessary needs before the elections, and that the Eastern Ports Command needed such urgent attention that the police is ready to look into, and charged all to be of good conduct before, during and after the polls.
“It is time to make sure that the men are well kitted and provided for logistically.  Once again I am here to encourage them and tell them to be of good behaviour as to contribute their own quota to the success of the forthcoming elections”, she opined.
She however expressed optimism that the police would live up to expectation during the polls and further charged them to brace-up for whatever challenges in their constitutional duties.
Earlier, the Commissioner of Police, Ports Authority Police, Eastern Command, Mr James Caulcuick commended the AIG on the visit and disclosed that the command is being faced with operational vehicles, inadequate arms and ammunition to effectively police the ports and patrol the waterways, lack of patrol gunboats, accommodation for officers and men of the command, radio transmission network, inadequate staff and welfare packages, among others.
Caulcuick assured that with these provisions, they would perform their duties effectively with God on their side.
Also speaking, the Acting General Manager, Eastern Ports, Lawrence Alabi decried the reported incessant attacks by sea pirates robbers on the waterways, and called on the police authority to equip the marine police and provide conducive platform for them to meet up the challenges.
He also thanked the AIG, Maritime Police Command for her visit to get first hand information on the operations and challenges of the police at the ports in Eastern command.
Similarly, the AIG, Maritime Command, Mrs Adeyemi also paid familiarization visit to the Onne Port Complex Police Command.

Collins Barasimeye/Tammy Epelle

Comptroller-General of Customs (cgc), Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi (right), welcoming the Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria (nan), Mr Ima Niboro to his office, during a courtesy visit to Customs Headquarters in Abuja last Tuesday. Photo: NAN