The Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, Hon. Samuel Nwanosike, has appealed to media organizations to not allow those he described as criminal elements use their platforms.
Nwanosike in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Chris Omodu, said that such criminal elements should not be allowed to use media platforms to sabotage effort of government in the fight against insecurity.
The chairman who made the appeal at the inauguration of newly constituted Ikwerre/Etche Local Government Community Policing Advisory Committee (LGCPAC) at Isiokpo Area Command on Thursday commended the press, especially the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State Council, on their effort in the fight against insecurity but regretted that “some of their stations and other media outfits are now allowing criminal elements to use their platforms to cast aspersions and try to incite the public against government institutions against the fight against crime”.
“We want to beg the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Rivers State Chapter and to say we are all partners in this fight and that no stone should be left unturned. So, we are asking that they should not allow criminal elements to use their platforms to send inciting information to the public”, he said.
The council boss described the day as very remarkable in the annals of history in the two local governments, saying there would be no meaningful development without peace and security.
He commended the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Muhammad Abubakar Adamu, for approving the initiative, saying that it showed clearly communities were now involved in managing the security architecture in their areas.
He also assured the police boss of continued peace in the two local government areas to let development continue to go on in the communities.
He pledged on behalf of his counterpart to provide logistics, information and everything needed to the LGCPAC and all Police Divisions and Area Commands within the local government areas to nip insecurity in the bud.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Area Commander of Isiokpo Area Command, ACP Mohammed Umar Iya, said that the inauguration was a step forward towards improving security in all communities in Isiokpo Area Command and its environs.
He said the event marked a turning point in government’s deliberate effort to restrategize and reposition the security architecture using Community Policing initiative proposed by the IGP.
The Area Commander urged members of the committee to discharge their task with patriotism, integrity and diligence, saying their membership was a rare privilege and opportunity to serve the two local government areas.
ACP Umar Iya said that the committee was set up to promote and sustain mutual trust, respect and confidence between the people and security agencies and make the two local government areas a no-go area for those who want to undermine the collective security initiative.
