Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has urged the new management team of Nigeria police in Rivers State to enter into a new relationship with his administration and people of the state.
Governor Fubara made the call on Friday in Government House Port Harcourt when he played host to the new Commissioner of police deployed to the state, CP Mustapha Bala.
The Governor recalled the frosty relationship that existed between the State government and some of the police echelons and urged the new CP to make a great difference.
Gov Fubara said, “I want to say this. You and your management team, please, I want you to start a new relationship. Bygone is bygone, please, let’s work as one”
The Governor however said that his administration had never and is not also nursing any grudges against the Nigeria Police Force despite the disconcerting ploys some of its officers had engaged in to derail governance in the State.
Governor Fubara said that despite the display of unprofessionalism of some police officers, his administration had remained a dependable partner of the police in the quest to ensure security of lives and property of all Rivers people.
Read Also: ‘Work as if our tenure ends tomorrow”, Fubara tasks new appointees
The Governor said it was for this reason and more that he was receiving the new CP with open hands because the police must continue to collaborate with other sister agencies and the government to fight all forms of crime and criminality persistently.
He said, “I can say that we are receiving you with open hands, that is the truth. We don’t have any option. The worst of you, the worst of Police is still better than the best of criminals.
“So, we need to embrace you, whichever way, because you are our friends. We might have our differences, but the most important thing is that the protection of lives, and the security of the State are your responsibility. So, we must work together not minding issues that we have had in the past.
“But, I need to just set some records straight: This government as it stands today, as it moves on, has no personal problem with the Nigeria Police Force, more especially the Rivers State Command.
“I can boldly say here that not minding whatever had happened in the past, we have lived up to our own responsibility in supporting the Nigeria Police. So, for us to do this, we understand the important role that the police play in our State.”
Governor Fubara assured that his administration would continue to give requisite support that would enable the police to succeed in crime fighting.
In doing so, Governor Fubara asked them to be very professional, do the right thing always, and refuse being used against the law and peace of the society.
He added, “I keep saying it at every opportunity I have: I will be the last person that will call any police officer and ask him or her to go and do what is wrong. Even when you are called upon, you need to ask yourself, ask your conscience, what people are telling me to do, is it right?
“You will finish this work and you will live your normal life after service. It is the way you have worked that will determine how you are going to live when you leave the service. Don’t leave the service and start living in fear because of the atrocities that you have committed.”
While harping on the need for the police to be professional, Governor Fubara said that with the peace prevailing in the State, there is less task for the police to do.
He insisted: “This State is a very peaceful place. When you were here as Area Commander, you know how the State was then.
“Now that you are back as the CP, it is God that brought you back so that you will play your role in securing lives and property of the residents of Rivers State.
“So, perform that role professionally. We will give you all the necessary support.”
Governor Fubara encouraged the police management team to have implementation strategies to advance the community policing pattern he wants to adopt to tackle crime in the State.
He pointed to the fact that people know the criminals disturbing parts of the State because they live in the communities, mothers, fathers, uncles and cousins.
The fight against such criminals, Governor Fubara, said should be aimed at smoking them from their hideouts, adding that if community policing is the right approach, it should be effectively deployed to reduce crime to the barest minimum.
“We cannot completely eliminate crime, that is the truth. In every developing society, crime is one of the issues, but we can try as much as we can to reduce the level of crime and we will support you.
The Governor explained, “Let us know your plans towards that, because you must have a strategy to go about it. We will give you all the necessary support.
“Work to protect the interest of Rivers State, not to protect the interest of anybody. The most important thing is Rivers State. If Rivers State is safe and peaceful, you will also be safe too. If there is trouble in the State, you won’t rest. So, we need to come together and make it happen for peace to prevail.”
In his address, the new Commissioner of Police to Rivers State, Mustapha Bala, said he resumed duties two weeks ago and had been attending to other assignments from the headquarters while also getting to understand working of formations under his leadership.
CP Bala said he undertook the courtesy visit as a peaceful police officer, to formally report to the Governor, seek his blessing and solicit his support in the collective quest to keep Rivers State safe and peaceful for all residents.
