Community police, local vigilante will not bear arms – Police insists

The Nigeria police have maintained that there is no need for vigilante groups and community police officers to use firearms in the course of their operations.

The Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG; Austin Agbonlahor in charge of the newly created zone 16, Yenagoa, stated this while addressing newsmen after an inspection tour of the Rivers State Police Command, Port Harcourt.

AIG Agbonlahor assured that the ongoing recruitment exercise will cushion the challenges of manpower in the police force, urging the command to put in place training programs for officers on what they need to know.

On the issue of kidnapping, he said it has also been brought to its barest minimum, especially in the creeks and within the East West road, just as he charged the Rivers State police command, “to concentrate on crime fighting by building up on collaboration between the police and the general public.

“The clampdown on proliferation of prohibited firearms must be vigorously enforced and all illegal firearms mopped up in accordance with the Firearms Act.”

Earlier, Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joseph Mukan outlined some challenges facing the command to include lack of training, lack of crime fighting equipment and inadequate manpower.

Mukan noted that despite the challenges, men and officers of the Rivers State Police command will continue to do their best to ensure criminality is reduced to the minimum.

The Rivers CP in his address, “thanked the Inspector General of Police, IGP Mohammed Abubakar Adamu for blessing the fledgling Zone with an astute Administrator who had served the force in various capacities and still counting, with the view of bringing his wealth of experience to bear.”

“We assure you that the command will not be deterred but will continue to strive to entrench quality policing service that will stand the test of time.”

The newly created zone 16 comprises the Rivers and Bayelsa States Police Commands.