News

New Rivers Police Boss Assures Of Neutrality …Amaechi Calls For Professionalism

Published

10 years ago

September 12, 2014

General Manager, Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Mr Celestine Ogolo, (3rd left) in a group photograph with the Exco of Nigeria Hotels Association, Rivers State chapter, during their official visit to the corporation recently. Photo: Obinna Prince Dele

Newly posted Commissioner of Police to Rivers State, Mr Dan Bature has said he will ensure a fair playing ground for all parties and improved security in the state.
He gave the assurance when he paid a courtesy call to Governor Chibuike Amaechi, yesterday in Government House, Port Harcourt.
He said, “We are aware of the developments generally in the country. We want to assure His Excellency that, we will do all that it takes to ensure the situation gets better than the way everybody enjoys security in the state. Once more, I thank you”, Bature said.
“The Nigerian Police alongside other sister agencies are responsible for internal security in Nigeria. Therefore, I am fully aware that, the tasks of ensuring adequate security and the challenges associated with it are our responsibility. My boss (Ogunsakin) has fully briefed me on his achievements in the past few months. And, these successes are unconnected with cordial relationship he had enjoyed with the Rivers State Government and the good people of Rivers State. It is a challenge that we have to sustain if we want to carry the state to the next level in terms of policing to ensure adequate protection of lives and property in Rivers State”, he further stated.
He however called for the subsisting co-operation between the Rivers State Government and the police to be sustained.
Meanwhile, Governor Amaechi has implored Bature to display professionalism to earn the respect and support of government and people of the state.
Amaechi said while welcoming the new State Police boss, “If you keep to social justice, believe me, you will be the friend of everybody. The Rivers State Government will continue to support you, once that is kept. But, if it is not kept, you can ask Mbu to confirm that, when we found out that, he was a card carrying member of PDP, we stopped funding the police. And they were not too happy. But, we will fund the Nigerian Police if you continue to maintain your responsibility”, Amaechi said.
The Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), who recalled the antecedents of former Police Commissioner in the state, Mbu Joseph Mbu said he was a politician in police uniform who attempted to cripple the economy of the state.
Amaechi said, the former police boss deviated from his professional role of protecting lives and properties by serving politicians of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP).
According to him, “Unlike Mbu Joseph Mbu, who clearly showed us that, he was a registered member of PDP. In your own case, (Ogunsakin) you know that, we had disagreement, but, you realized your responsibility to ensure the security of lives and property as the paramount responsibility of the Nigerian Police. It is important you keep that peace. And I wish to thank you for that peace. I am also sure, Rivers people are happy about that. And the way Mbu was going, Rivers economy would have collapsed completely. Fortunately for us, they took him away and brought you (Ogunskin) and you restored calm. You tried to create a platform for all parties to have access to reach you. And as you go, please, go with that same spirit. The Police in Rivers State, should discharge their responsibility as it concerns the protection of lives and property”.
“Let me welcome the new commissioner of Police and say that, if the Federal Government refuses, I will repeat what I said, when I was sworn in as Governor in 2007. I said, if the Federal Government refuses to provide legitimate source of livelihood for Nigerians in our state, Nigerians will provide for themselves illegitimate source of livelihood. And that, includes kidnapping, robbery, stealing by people who will hire or provide police or military uniforms. And that illegitimate source of livelihood becomes its own economy which automatically frightens the legitimate economy”, he said.
The State Chief Executive also advised the new commissioner of Police, Dan Bature to ensure social justice rather than partisan politics, warning that, the absence of social justice may breed resistance and breakdown of law and order in the state.
“Now in the same manner, when it comes to security, as a former student leader, I understand that, immediately, the police become partisan in politics and does not provide security for everybody, other parties will be compelled to provide security for themselves. I know this as a politician since 1987 when I joined politics. And, one thing about security is that, it is cash based. They will provide for themselves the means with which to protect themselves.
“The Nigeria Police is supposed to mingle and have the confidence of the Nigerian people. But, the moment, it becomes the agent of the other party, then, you are no longer the Nigerian Police. You automatically lose that title. You are coming into a situation where, the right thing must be done according to social justice, the absence of it, is what breeds crime and resistance. The only thing we ask you is social justice. If you ask any of the commissioners of police who had served in Rivers State, I have never requested for favours, because, I don’t have the need for it. We believe in law and order. But, when you don’t keep law and order, what you are inviting and get is resistance.”
Earlier, the out-going Police commissioner, and newly promoted Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, Tunde Ogunsakin said, he had discharged his duties as a professional police officer since he assumed office on 12th February, 2014 in Rivers State.
According to him, “the task has been onerous as a result of the various contending interests in the political, economic as well as other facets of human endeavors that we had to grapple with. In the area of crime prevention, we have been very proactive and have put in place adequate measures to ensure that crime is brought to the minimum. We embarked on intensive patrols of all nooks and crannies with a view to ensuring that criminals are not allowed to thrive in any part of the state. On crime fighting, I strategically marshaled a formidable operational plan that speedily responds to distress calls to all forms of criminalities, particularly violent crimes of armed robbery, kidnapping and cultism in the state.
Ogunsakin also commended Governor Amaechi for the co-operation rendered by his administration.
“I want to thank His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi for the hand of fellowship extended to me while I remained at the helm of affairs of the Rivers State Police Command. There may have been areas of conflicts but, these were eventually resolved in the interest of the security of the state”, Ogunsakin explained.

News

We’ll Make Fire Service Functional After 12 Yrs, Fubara Assures …Inspects Rehabilitation Works On Three Stations

Published

2 hours ago

January 28, 2025

The Tide

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has expressed regrets that, for over 12 years, the State-owned Fire Service Stations were left in limbo but assured that the ongoing rehabilitation will be concluded and the stations ready for public use in the first week of March, 2025.

Fubara gave the assurance when he embarked on an inspection tour of the three Fire Service Stations to access the extent of work done with the ongoing remodelling, expansion and reconstruction activities on the sites, yesterday.

The governor visited the fire service stations located beside the Isaac Boro Park/Mile One flyover, Borokiri in the old Port Harcourt Township and Rumuodomaya Community, all in Port Harcourt and Obio/Akpor Local Government Areas.

He explained that with the ongoing work, the three major Fire Service Stations would be put into effective state to provide rapid and quick response to fire incidents in the State.

Fubara said, “For a very long time, we have had this situation that we have to depend on the multi-nationals; Shell, Agip and Chevron and even (Elf) TotalEnergies at that time, including to respond to fire incidents in the State.

“From what we have seen today, we can confirm that the contractor is working very hard to meet the deadline. We must, I repeat, we must commission this project first week in March.”

The governor said it is the responsibility of the government to have such facilities that provide vital social services available to the people to address fire incidence when they occur.

He assured that his administration would reverse the utter neglect such social services had suffered, and ensure that Rivers people, in no distant future, begin to benefit from the stations.

“As a matter of fact, I can boldly say that Rivers State has not had a functional Fire Service for the past 12 years. We are a government, and amongst our responsibilities, is to protect lives and property. Issues of fire incidents could be as a result of some mistakes in our homes.

“So, it is our duty to make sure that we are prepared to combat it whenever it occurs. We are trying to make sure that we do not depend again on the multi-nationals, but be ready and prepared to save lives and property of Rivers people,” he said.

Governor Fubara was accompanied by the former Commissioner for Water Resources, Dr Tamunosisi Gogo-Jaja, and was conducted round the facilities by the Commissioner for Special Duties, Dr Samuel Anya.

News

FG Shops For New Accountant General, Plans Exams, Interviews

Published

3 hours ago

January 28, 2025

The Tide

The Federal Government has initiated the process of appointing a new Accountant General of the Federation and filling vacancies for permanent secretaries in the Federal Civil Service.

A memo from the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, dated January 24, 2025, and signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Career Management Office, Fatima Mahmoud, outlined the timeline for the process.

The memo was addressed to the Offices of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief of Staff to the President, ministers, and heads of ministries, departments, and agencies.

President Bola Tinubu had earlier, in December 2024, appointed Babatunde Ogunjimi as the acting Accountant General of the Federation.

The appointment, announced in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, followed the commencement of pre-retirement leave by the then-incumbent AGF, Dr. Oluwatoyin Madein.

However, Madein returned to her duties after receiving a directive extending her tenure until March 7, 2025.

This development led to the reassignment of the acting AGF, Ogunjimi, who was redeployed to the Public Service Institute of Nigeria as Director of Accounts.

The directive authorising Madein’s continuation was reportedly issued by the Head of Service of the Federation.

According to the spokesperson for the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Bawa Mokwa, the directive reinstated Madein to her role as AGF, enabling her to oversee treasury operations until her retirement.

Mokwa clarified that under civil service regulations, embarking on terminal leave is optional, raising questions among staff about the implications of Madein’s reinstatement on Ogunjimi’s prior appointment as acting AGF.

The new memo by the Head of Service noted that accreditation of eligible candidates for the position of OAGF will commence on January 28 and end on February 1, 2025.

“Stage 1: Written Examination for eligible Candidates from North-West Zone and Oyo State on Monday, February 10, 2025.

“Stage 2: Written Examination for eligible Candidates/Directors (Accounts) in the Pool of the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation on February 11, 2025.”

The memo further noted that further stages will hold on February 12 and 13, respectively and will be in the form of computer-based tests, while the final lap, which is the oral interview, will hold on February 14, 2025.

News

FRSC Records 9,570 Road Crashes, Arrests 21,580 Offenders In 2024

Published

3 hours ago

January 28, 2025

The Tide

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says it arrested no fewer than 21,580 traffic offenders between January and December 2024 across the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The FRSC Corps Marshal, Malam Shehu Mohammed, disclosed this while addressing the reporters on the 2024 special patrol operations in Abuja, yesterday.

Mohammed said that the Corps recorded a reduction in the number of offenders recorded in 2024 as against 29,220 within the same period in 2023.

“This signifies a 26 per cent increase in compliance to traffic rules and regulations.

“The total number of offences committed stood at 25,942 representing 23.5 per cent reduction in traffic law violation compared to the data of the same period in 2023,” he said.

Mohammed said that the analysis of the Corps’ annual performance indicated a drastic reduction in Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs).

This, he said, was as well as in the number of people injured compared to the annual record of 2023.

“From Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2024, a total of 9,570 RTCs were recorded nationwide. This figure is against 10,617 RTCs recorded in 2023 which signify a tremendous reduction of 10 per cent.

“Furthermore, 31,154 people were injured in 2024 while 31,874 were injured in 2023 representing a two per cent decrease.

“However, the Corps recorded a seven per cent increase in fatalities as 5,421 people were killed in 2024 while 5,081 people were killed in 2023.

“Meanwhile, a total of 70,530 people got involved in RTCs in 2024 compared to 70,092 of 2023 signifying an increase of one per cent, ” he said.

The FRSC boss emphasised that out of the total fatalities that occurred in 2024, 411 deaths, representing 7.6 per cent of the total deaths, were not primarily caused by the crashes.

Mohammed said that the crashes were caused by a secondary factor which he described as the very monster the Corps was fighting; scooping of fuel from fallen tankers.

“This, therefore implies that without the casualties recorded from scooping fuel from crashed tankers, the Corps would have recorded 5,010 deaths in 2024.

“This will be as against 5,081 in 2023 signifying a 1.4 per cent reduction in the total number of people killed,” he said.

The FRSC Corps Marshal reiterated that the alarming rate of crashes and fatalities occurred as a result of loading of trailers with goods and persons.

This, he said, was in addition to fatigue, speed violations, overloading, dangerous driving as well as poor vehicle maintenance within the period under review.