Ahead of the Easter Celebration, the Nigeria Police Force has amplified its aggressive posture against crime and criminality in Rivers State with a massive haul of arrests and recovery of arms, ammunition and properties with a view to making the State safe for citizens to reside and businesses to thrive.

The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Eboka Friday, who made this position public in a statement signed by the Acting Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), and made available to the Media on Wednesday, April 6, 2022 in Port Harcourt, warned “criminal elements to turn a new leaf or face the full wrath of the law”. 

CP Friday announced that gallant operatives of the State Command, who responded to a distress call on March 4, 2022, nabbed four armed robbery suspects, four suspected cultists, and recovered arms, ammunition and one vehicle.

“Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command, while responding to a distress call on 4th March 2022 at Abonnema Wharf where miscreants were attacking officials of Petroleum Task Force, arrested four suspects namely; Lucky Monday Yaatee ‘m’ aged 22 years, Bala Ibrahim ‘m’ aged 20 years, Izuchukwu Eze ‘m’ aged 39 years and Okro Agu ‘m’ aged 51 years.”

“In a bid to chase others who took to their heels, the Police stormed some shanties where the following arms and ammunition were recovered; one MKIV Service 80 pistol with breach number FC 01010e, one MAKAROV pistol with defaced breach number, two double-barrel locally made pistols, three single-barrel locally made pistols, one-shot single barrel locally-made pistol, automatic pump action with breach number 00063, three Barretta pistols with defaced breach number, 27 rounds of 12 by 12 by 5mm live cartridges, sixty nine rounds of 60 by 84 GMP live ammunition, three revolver pistol’s magazine and one SMG magazine.”

The statement said the Commissioner of Police has ordered detailed investigation into the case, with a view to arresting the fleeing suspects. The outcome of the investigation will be made public.

“In a similar feat, on 3rd April 2022, Operatives of this Command arrested a four-man syndicate at AGIP roundabout Port Harcourt, in a light green Toyota Corolla saloon car, with registration No. ZBL 12 PT, property of Mr. Ajuluchukwu Nebuolisa, reportedly snatched at gunpoint on 01/03/2022 in Anambra State.”

“The four suspects namely; Chukwudi Charis ‘m’ aged 38 years, Emmanuel Sunday Thompson ‘m’ aged 32 years, Confidence Eze ‘m’ aged 37 years, and Ubong James ‘m’ aged 39 years are already helping the Police in the investigation. They will be transferred to Anambra State where the offence was committed.”

It would be observed that since the arrival of CP Eboka Friday to Rivers State as Commissioner of Police, it has not been business as usual for criminals given his determined avowal to stamp out criminal activities across the State with a view to ensuring that citizens feel safe and a secure atmosphere emplaced to incentivize business activities to thrive.