Ernest Chinwo in Port Harcourt
The new Rivers State Police Commissioner, Mr. Francis Odesanya, has said his command has arrested no fewer than 20 policemen in the state for taking bribe.
This is as he pledged to be apolitical in the protracted political crisis in the state.
He also warned cultists to stay away from the state or be ready to face the wrath of the law when apprehended.
Odesanya, who spoke on Tuesday during his maiden press briefing at the Police Officers’ Mess, Port Harcourt, said the policemen were arrested within the short period he has been in the helms of affairs of the state police command.
He said: “We do not have road blocks in Rivers State, but Section 27 of the Police Act gives us the power to stop and search any time and at any point. In as much as I don’t support corruption and I don’t support the policemen taking money, already presently, with the monitoring team, we have over 20 policemen already arrested since I came in.
“They are going to be thoroughly sanctioned and I know that my predecessor had been doing the same. The IG has a monitoring team that moves round; the AIG has a monitoring team. We are doing our best to put an end to all these. My plea is this, it takes two to tango. Please, don’t give police money.
“This is an era of social media; there is a response unit with the police that you can easily access with your phone if the man is demanding for money and they will definitely come to your aid. Let us cooperate with ourselves.”
Odesanya stated that it is the responsibility of the government to guarantee the safety of persons, who are carrying out their legitimate endeavours without hindrance.
He identified unending political crisis and the reign of unresolved violent crimes, as the main two pillar threatening the peace and tranquility of the state.
He said: “There are two critical pillars troubling the peace and tranquility of Rivers State which are the unending political crisis and the reign of unresolved violent crimes. In every society, some level of crimes exist.
He stated: “No doubt, the state is infested with political crisis. But under my watch, we shall; remain apolitical in the discharge of our constitutional responsibilities. All the political parties in the state will be given a level playing field in terms of security of lives and property. I shall remain balanced in my judgment.”
He also said: “It is one of the primary responsibility of government to guarantee the safety of civilians and every other persons carrying out their legitimate endeavours without hindrance. Crime sets in where opportunity exists, escape is very possible and premium is derivable.”
He added that in dealing with the problem of kidnapping and armed robbery in the state, the state police command would go after cultists and fight them to a standstill.
Odesanya pointed out that the command had intensified the fight against cultism, adding that the current “massive onslaught” against hoodlums would be sustained.
Describing Rivers State as strategic to the economic wellbeing of the country, the state CP vowed that the command under his watch would never allow cultist, kidnappers and armed robbers have their way.
He also reiterated his command’s readiness to mop up illegal arms in the state.
“We must sustain the fight against criminality, especially cultists because Rivers State is strategic to the economic wellbeing of the country. This assignment is a wake-up call to duty and to deliver on this mandate, I have identified the security challenges facing the state.
“It has come to my notice that illegal arms are in many places across the state. We will work towards mopping them up. Armed robbery, kidnapping and other crimes are energised by cultist. We shall fight cultism to the end in the state,” he added.
The CP explained that the command would expand its stop-and-search initiative in order to cover more crime-prone areas, saying, “There shall be a serious onslaught against criminal cult groups of obtaining illegal firearms in their possession. “We will raid some hideouts. We shall be very apolitical and professional since these are qualities of democratic policing. I shall not be partisan because politics is a distraction to professionalism in policing.”
Odesanya also promised to build on the achievements of predecessors: Mr. Musa Kimo and Mr. Foluso Adebanjo, and ensure that criminals were chased out of the state.
