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Tony John, Port Harcourt
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has declared that the state government is fully prepared to tackle insecurity and will do everything required to protect lives and property.
Governor Wike also declared that Rivers government has proscribed all youth groups operating in the state because they have been hijacked by cultists.
The governor spoke yesterday, when he handed over 40 patrol vans fitted with communication gadgets to Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), See 4 Eye, Police Anti-Kidnapping, Police Anti-Cultism, Federal Road Safety Corps and Eagle Crime at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
“Rivers State Government is fully prepared and will do everything required to protect lives and property. Without the protection of lives and property, there will be no governance and development.
“We are one state that has suffered neglect from the Federal Government in terms of support to fight insecurity. They have refused to pay back funds that we used in constructing federal projects. But, that will not stop us from intervening when the need arises,” he said.
The governor said he resolved to increase the support to the security agencies because of the successes recorded by Operation Sting.
The governor placed a N30 million bounty on anyone who gives useful information that would lead to the arrest of those who killed a director with the Rivers State Government during the Choba crisis and a notorious criminal, called Bobrisky in Gokana Local Government Area.
He regretted that cultists have taken over youth groups across the state, necessitating the government to proscribe them.
“Anybody operating under a youth bod henceforth, will be arrested by security agencies. Before you contest for any youth body’s leadership, you must send the names to the DSS and police for screening. If they are cultists, we will not allow them to operate,” he said.
Governor Wike said the vehicles and gunboats donated to the security agencies must be deployed to secure Rivers State.
He announced that the state government would establish a trust fund to cater for the families of policemen who lost their lives while fighting crime.
In his remarks, Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Dandaura, said the security agencies would use the new security vans to tackle criminals across the state.
He said since the inauguration of Operation Sting, there has been improvement in the security of lives and property in the state. He added that security agencies would continue to dislodge criminals in all parts of the state.
Two weeks ago, Governor Wike donated 76 security vans, gunboats and Armoured Personnel Carriers to security forces when he launched the Operation Sting.
