Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has declared that the frequent changes of Service Commanders in the state makes it difficult to plan for the improvement of security of lives and property.
He also expressed surprise that the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 6 Division of the Nigerian Army who played very negative roles during the last general elections has been left in the state, despite the mass transfer of officers by the Army High Command.
Speaking during a Courtesy Visit by the new Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Dandaura, the Rivers State Governor assured that he will continue to support security agencies to fight crime in the state.
He said: “The frequent changes of Commissioners of Police makes it difficult for security planning.
“I was reading where they transferred GOCs and other senior army officers, but left this GOC because he did their bidding. You are compensating crime and that is not good for the system.
“There is no crime that is bigger than election rigging, but that man has been left here. Those who are involved in election rigging and oil bunkering are left here because they did their bidding”.
Governor Wike said that the Rivers State Government has concluded plans to launch a new comprehensive security architecture, which will promote security across the state.
He said ahead of the launch of the new security architecture, his administration recently donated 50 Patrol Vans to the Police, while other security services also received security vans from the Rivers State Government.
The Governor added that the administration procured gunboats for the Nigerian Navy, while modern security Communication Centres have been established in all the 23 Local Government Areas of the state.
“I will support any effort that is geared towards reducing crime to the barest minimum across the state.
“We are about to launch the new security architecture for the state. To this end, we have established Communication Centres in all the 23 Local Government Areas of the state”, he said.
He urged the new Rivers State Police Commissioner to be professional in the discharge of his duties, because it will be unwise to be involved in partisan politics.
“Even if you are from the President’s Family, we will work with you to fight crime. If you decide to play politics, then we will treat you as a politician. The only Commissioner of Police that did not play politics is the immediate past Commissioner of Police “, he said.
The Governor urged the New Commissioner of Police to rejig the Police Structure in the state for optimal results.
Earlier, the New Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Dandaura thanked the Rivers State Governor for his financial and logistical support to all the security agencies in the state. He particularly commended him for the recent donation of 50 patrol Vans to the Rivers State Police Command.
He assured the Rivers State Governor that he will discharge his duties professionally, saying that he will not be involved in any form of politics
The New Commissioner of Police urged sister security agencies to work with the police to improve the security situation of the state.
“I am here to fight crime and insecurity to a standstill. I will give the Governor the cooperation to fight crime “, he said.
