Wike Urges FG to Increase Funding to Police

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has urged the federal government to increase funding to the Nigeria police to enable it perform better.

Speaking during the inauguration of the Police Tactical Operations Centre in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area yesterday, Wike maintained that any government that cannot protect life and property, fight crime and make people live happily does not have any business in governance.

He said his administration understands such importance and had unrelentingly provided necessary logistics to the state police command, to strengthen the capacity of police officers to do their best in keeping crime rate at its lowest level in Rivers State.

“Ours is to provide the necessary logistics and allow the police and other sister agencies to carry out their function. When you provide the enabling and conducive environment, obviously officers and men of the security agencies will put in their best.

Governor Wike however, corrected the thinking that only the federal government has the duties of fighting insecurity.

He stressed that the essence of governance is to protect life and leaving such role for the federal government alone is a slack in the responsibility of any person in government.

“If you’re a governor, you’re a chairman of a local council, if you’re a president and you can’t protect life and property of citizens then you have no business to talk about governance. So, don’t go home and sleep that it is the responsibility of federal government to fight insecurity, no. Every tier of government has that responsibility to fight crime and make sure people live happily.”

The governor commended the Inspector General of Police for not changing commissioners of police posted to Rivers State incessantly, stressing that it has helped to stabilise the security architecture and strategies deployed in fighting crime and criminality.

He also acknowledged that a new commissioner of police has been posted to the state and urged him to sustain the crime fighting tempo. Just as he stated that the incoming governor, Siminalayi Fubara will not tolerate it if the crime rate increases, when it should be fought to minimum level.

Inaugurating the Police Tactical Operations Centre, Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, said police officers in Rivers State are lucky because of the good working tools and conducive environment provided for them.

IGP Baba noted that while the Nigeria police is contemplating adopting E-policing strategies, the Rivers State government has taken the lead by providing E-policing enabling equipment and centres that will make tracking, patrolling, raiding, stop and search operations possible without being on the road.

Former Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command, Effiong Okon, said the Police Tactical Operations Centre provided by the Wike’s administration is the first in the country.