The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Francis Odesanya, has attributed the rising cases of crime and criminality in the state to illegal possession of
arms by those he described as non-state actors.
Odesanya stated this while speaking at a stakeholders /eminent persons forum, organized by the state Police Command, at the Officers Mess in Port Harcourt, the state capital, Thursday.
He explained that the forum, was to interact with stakeholders on effective ways of combating crime in the state, saying it was a wakeup call to the Police, traditional rulers and other relevant stakeholders on crime fighting.
He said lack of mutual trust between members of the public and the Police on information sharing was hampering effective crime control.
Odesanya regretted that while victims of crime are left in pain, most suspects are yet to be brought to book.
“One of the areas of mutual distrust and conflict has been in the area of service delivery. The Police is often perceived to be high handed and uncivil, especially in the discharge of their constitutional responsibility to society without empathy.
“This disconnect has been responsible for lack of cooperation and seeming unhamonious working relationship. The major problem across the state has been an ugly environment unleashed on the public by non-state actors who have access to illegal sophisticated arms.
“These illegal arms have been used to kill, maim and rob victims. The situation is most unfortunate. Therefore, we shall be very unrelenting in our efforts to clamp down organized criminal gangs and unlicensed fire arms holders.”
While re-stating his resolve to remain apolitical, the Police boss noted that the command under his watch will support the state government’s amnesty to criminals in order to re integrate them into society.
In his speech, Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, stated that the intention of the amnesty programme by the strate government was to rehabilitate those who decided to renounce crime and leave better lives.
Wike, who was represented by the commissioner for Information and Communications, Dr. Austin Tam-George, said, “We do not in any event want to reward crime to those who were involved in crime and criminality.
Wike’s intention is to rehabilitate those who out of frustration have been involved in crime.
“We want to make sure that we work in close collaboration with the Police and all security agencies in the stare. Not just the Police but the neighbourhoods will work closely with the police by providing information.”
While calling on the Police to guarantee utmost confidentiality to those who provide information as a way of encouraging people to divulge information to the Police, he pledged the state government’s commitment to always collaborate with security agencies in the state.
In his remarks, a cleric and General Overseer of Omega Power Ministries (OPM) Apostle Chinyere Chibuzor, said repentant cultists should be encouraged with skills rather than monetary incentives that may lure them into purchasing illegal arms.