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By Joel Anekwe
Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has stated that while his administration goes ahead to do everything in its power to prevent the spread of the coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic in the state, it will not also relent in the fight against crime and criminality.
The governor made the declaration on Monday while receiving the report of the state Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Dandaura, on recent exploits of the security agencies in Rivers State since after the launching of the Operation Sting in the state.
He said that his administration would continue to work towards keeping Rivers State safe in line with his constitutional responsibility of protecting everyone living in the state, adding that as the government fights to protect Rivers people from coronavirus, it would not relent in ensuring the security of lives and property.
The governor commended security agencies for working with the state government to check the activities of criminals.
He said: “I have made a vow that Rivers State must be safe. It is a duty that we are committed to carry out. We have no excuses to give.”
He said: “Coronavirus is a serious war. Then add this to the fight against insecurity, and you understand that it is not easy for us. But we shall continue to work for the security and safety of our people.
“We don’t want anyone to politicise the issue of security. We also don’t want anyone to politicise the fight against coronavirus,” he said.
Governor Wike said that the weapons recovered by the police during their operation can dislodge Port Harcourt City. He wondered what the criminals were doing with sub-machine gun and rocket grenade launchers.
He said that operatives of Operation Sting were on the heels of a notorious Isiokpo kidnapper, who will soon be apprehended and prosecuted.
“We give God the glory for keeping us safe in Rivers State even as we battle this coronavirus pandemic. Rivers State Government is working to keep our people safe, yet some criminals want to make the state insecure,” he said.
He urged the media to also focus on the successes of the state Security Council in the area of securing lives in the state. He said that bursting the kidnap syndicate is a major achievement by Operation Sting.
Earlier, the commissioner of Police, Mustapha Dandaura, commended the Rivers State governor for his logistical support that had energised security agencies in the state to achieve notable success.
He said that the Operation Sting initiated by Governor Wike has sanitised the hitherto troublesome East West Road, the Elele-Owerri Road and the Ogoni axis of the East West Road, making the state safer for residents and visitors.
The commissioner of Police assured that the security agencies would continue to work hard to protect lives and property in the state.
Dandaura noted that the state Police command recovered the arms from Ogu/Bolo Local Government Area, following credible intelligence. He said that the kidnap syndicate hid the arms underground in the forest.
The Police commissioner said a total of 3, 249 arms and ammunition were recovered in the operation, listing some of them to include, one GPMG No. NN-07-150, two G-3 rifles with breech No’s. 81- 85234 and 69090978, one SMG rifle No. 19855 and one rocket launcher (RPG) rocket propelled grenade NW-07-150
Others are 5 pump action guns, 933 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, 1,111 rounds of 5.56mm live ammunition, 222 rounds of 9mm live ammunition, 909 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition and 74 rounds of .9mm live ammunition.
