The Rivers State Police Command,Police Community Relations Committe(PCRC), other stakeholders have called for unity against crime and criminality during the official launch of the zero crime initiative in PortHarcourt,Rivers State capital on Tuesday.
In his speech Voke Emore,Chairman of PCRC in Rivers state said “zero crime is possible if the people can partner with the Police.
“You know this criminals are in our community.If the communities decide to hide these criminals definitely zero crime will not be possible.
“That is why the Police knows that without the communities,without the people you cannot actually get to that level of zero crime.
“That is why we are appealing to the people to partner with the Police so that can zero crime can be achieved.
“We are in the Rivers Zero crime official launch which yesterday we had a rally to launch the Rivers zero crime.
Is just to ensure that citizens know that Police is truly your friend
“You can see that the Police were giving out gift and items to citizens in the community so that,that synergy between the Police and the community can be achieved.Without cooperation from the public the Police cannot do any magic,and they cannot secure the community.
“PCRC builds the bridge between the community and the Police.We have to be fully part of this event so that we can ensure the community understands that actually the Police is your friend.
“We have talked to people,turned out in our numbers to ensure the programme is a sucess.We are also going to turn out in our numbers today.
“The CP has being true to many of his words on fighting crime .Crime has reduced in Rivers state We have seen the difference in it.Alot of time you see that crime must fight back.Crime must come up.The PCRC support the Police to ensure they secure lives and property of citizens in the state.
“If we have true repentance from most of this militants or people that are saying they are fighting a particular struggle,yes you can give amnesty and engage them in other activities so that they can bring out the plus to the community.
“There is a thin line between true repentance and actual repentance.You have to be very sure and careful that the criminals have truely repented before granting them amnesty.
“That is why we advice the CP to be careful on request to give amnesty to criminals.
“The community should partner with the Police so we can have peace.So that our economy can grow.with crime,our economy cannot grow,we cannot have businesss in the state.With crime we cannot have any form of recreation.We crime we cannot have employment .But if you have a crime free environment,development will come” .
Meanwhile the Commissioner of Police, CP Nwonyi Emeka in his welcome address said the programme is aimed at reducing crime to zero in the state and it can only be achievable by concerted effort.
CP Emeka stated that some of the suspects linked to the killing of SP Bako Angbashim who were arrested was as a result of credible information given to the Police by residents.
He noted that such arrest would not have been possible without cooperation from members of the Public.
CP Emeka also said the programme is targeted at the Police giving back to the society and also boast the synergy between the Police and the public.
He revealed that there would be free medicals at three senatorial districts in the state between 4th to 6th October,2023 as part of event making the zero crime.He assured that the arrangement will cater for as many that comes for the free medicals.
Meanwhile the Rivers State Deputy Governor Professor Ngozi Odu officially opened the zero crime initiative on behalf of the state Government
