The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has urged the new Police Commissioner posted to the state, Friday Eboka, to shun politics and stay within his professional mandate to fight crime without fear or favour.
Wike gave the charge when the new commissioner of police, paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, Port Harcourt, last Friday.
Citing the abduction of over 300 school girls in Zamfara State, last Friday, the governor said there was so much criminality in the society, and professional police officers should not abandon their duties of protecting lives and property for any other interest.
Wike said nobody should be above the law, and if any criminal was arrested, such person should be charged to court, not even a politician’s demands for favour should be heeded.
“I will never come to you to say Mr. CP, go and do what is illegal. I will never come to you to say so and so person is my friend, he was arrested for kidnapping, so release him. In fact, I will even say take him away.
“Because if I support the person who is kidnapping, it may be my turn tomorrow, I won’t always be governor.
“So, whatever you can do with your team, please, I beg you in the name of God, provide security. Don’t come here and play politics.”
The governor said he was not unmindful that some persons may have recommended him to be posted to Rivers State, but he admonished the CP to let his conscience guide him.
He commended the CP for reorganising the C4I unit of the state police command, and pledged to support the team succeed in their task to combat crime.
Wike observed that the level of kidnapping in the state has increased because the immediate past CP abandoned his duty and was hobnobbing with non-state recognised chiefs.
“The level of kidnapping has gone high in the society. Your former colleague abandoned the job and was being deceived by some people who feign that they are traditional rulers.
“It’s most unfortunate that the former CP will be going to traditional rulers to be hosting him. It’s a shame. Now, Nigerians don’t have confidence anymore in security agents”.
