Hardly would 48 pours go by in Rivers State without news of the gunning down or at least arrest of one gang of violent men or the other since Nwonyi Polycarp Emeka (PhD) took over the command few weeks back.
Emeka is viewed as a crack commander from the mobile police background attuned to fighting crime. He has served round Nigeria including Rivers State in the past as a Mopol crack squad man. Along the line, he picked up many academic grades up to a doctorate degree, and passed staff college, plus other tasks and trainings.
At a time policing seemed to be at its lowest ebb in the oil state with gangs calling the shots, kidnapping in many areas and highways in the state, election violence with killings a free enterprise, and robbery becoming a child’s play, Emeka’s arrival and his shooting straight from the hips seems to wake sleeping citizens seemed flat on their tummies in fear and panic.
Now, gangsters who made cops flee seem to flee when the police approach. The CP also runs open crime fighting system, showing his hand to newsmen.
Every week, the CP addresses the crime press and shows those arrested. He also listens to complaints from the people through the media and moves to arrest the situation, thus making the slogan, ‘police is your friend’, a bit true in Rivers State.
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On Monday, June 26, 2023, Emeka told the media that another triumph had been recorded in the arrest of notorious fraudsters, arrest of notorious kidnappers, arrest of suspected kidnapper, arrest of suspected armed robber, rescue of a kidnap victim, recovery of vandalised high tension pole items, and rescue of missing persons.
He said the fraudsters operated out of Rumuohorlu in Port Harcourt, but many wonder why they were not rooted out all these years, until Emeka arrived. Instead, some people provided a safe haven for them. Citizens were afraid to report. Now, people are stepping out to report what they know.
The CP said 60 victims seeking jobs were freed from the fraudsters while people from all over Nigeria were their victims.
He also said during a search on the vehicle and its occupants, one AK47 rife with 23 rounds of live ammunition and two walkie-talkies, a police face cap, constabulary police ID card, python dance base face cap, two phones, and other assorted charms were recovered.
“The two occupants are both from Ndele community in Emoaha LGA. One of the suspects confessed to having engaged the Army in Ndele, where two soldiers were killed. The suspects have expressed readiness to disclose all necessary information which will assist the Police in its investigations.”
Probably of note is the arrest of a man suspected to be behind the abduction and killing of an assistant to the former chief of staff in Government House. “The said suspect, during interrogation, confessed that he knew where the abducted victim was buried. He led patrol teams to the forest where he showed the victim’s grave site and also the camp of the dreaded kidnapper “Wordi,” where one Motorcycle, AK 47, an empty magazine, and three ATM cards were found; two of the ATM cards bore the name of the abducted victim.”
The CP said operatives, in collaboration with stakeholders in both Rivers and Abia states commands, led to the rescue of Joshua Kpee and Treasure Kpee, who were unhurt at Aba and brought to their parents.
“Information from them revealed they were abducted and sold by Joshua’s former teacher, whose name is unknown, who is said to be working presently in a yet-to-be-identified school at Bori, Khana LGA of Rivers State.”
He also talked about the rescue of one victim in Ahoada forest and a Hilux van was recovered.
This is now the new nature of crime bursting in Rivers State where gangs are now scared and citizens can’t believe this is true. Everybody had concluded that criminals and gangs were the masters. Now, Emeka seems to rewrite the records.
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