Chukwudi Akasike, Port Harcourt
THE new Commissioner of Police in Rivers State, Mr. Foluso Adebanjo, has threatened to remove any Divisional Police Officer in control of area where cultists, armed robbers and other hoodlums embark on a robbery or killing spree.
Adebanjo, who was briefing DPOs and other officers of the command on Thursday, also warned cultists and armed robbers to repent or leave Rivers State, adding that his command will not spare any suspect involved in armed robbery, kidnapping and cultism.
He said the DPOs must be ready to also work at night in order to apprehended criminals in the state or be ready to be changed, adding that his command would not tolerate the killings, kidnappings and armed robberies in the state.
Describing criminals, including cultists in the state as brutal, Adebanjo pointed out that his command would deal with them, adding that the DPOs were expected to increase their level of intelligence gathering and ensure that suspected criminals were arrested.
He charged them (DPOs) to be proactive and ensure that criminals were exposed and dealt with before they (criminals) have the opportunity to strike.
Adebanjo said, “The DPOs must secure their areas and they must be ready to work even at night. We will go out at night to visit your places and if we find out that you cannot hold your position, we will change you. You must work 24 hours because we must deliver.
“We must be proactive to get good intelligence and strike these bad boys before they (criminals) strike. Killings and reprisals have been going on. I read in one paper that 13 persons were killed in the state by criminals; that is crazy.
“They (hoodlums) don’t even have respect for human lives. They must repent or relocate from River State. We will tolerate that. I don’t want to hear about bank robbery in the state because I will remove the DPO of the area where it happened. I am not going to play with my job; so, don’t play with yours.
“You cannot allow criminals to overrun this command. I believe in intelligence-led policing. These evil people are not people you play with. So, we must deal with them and also encourage people to give us information.”
He, however, disclosed that the command was going to provide 82 mobile phones with special numbers for officers so that they would be able to relate with the people of the state on issues bordering on insecurity.
Adebanjo expressed dissatisfaction over the presence of arms and ammunition in wrong hands in the state, promising that the command will recover at least 10 each day.
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