Take The War To Criminal Hideouts, IGP Urges Personnel In South-South

PH – Nigeria’s acting Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, on Wednesday, launched the new special security action plan, “OPERATION Restore Peace, RP” in the South-South region of the country.

The acting IGP, flagged-off the special operation, at the Sharks Football Stadium, Port-Harcourt.

Baba explained that the move is a continuation of the implementation process of the special operation in the country.

According to him, the operation in the South-South region is also targeted at stemming the tide of violent attacks and breakdown of law and order, and contain the heightened threats to lives and property occasioned by the secessionists activities of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN) and other criminal elements in the region.

The acting IGP charged police personnel in the region to take the war to the hideouts of the criminals disturbing the region, and not wait until they are attacked in their formations to defend themselves.

“In furtherance to the cause of this special operation, I charge you to defend yourselves courageously against any armed or criminal group that attempt to attack you, any police asset or any national infrastructure. Don’t sit down and defend your formations and places of work. Go out and look for them like they are looking for you and deal with them ruthlessly. They are not ghosts. They have a place to gather and meet. Trace those places and meet them there and deal with them there. Don’t wait for them at your police stations so that they will come there and throw bomb at you from a distance,” he charged the operatives.

The IGP condemned the increased cases of kidnapping, armed robbery, cult-related violence, economic sabotage and other threats to public safety bedeviling the region.

“These crimes,” the IGP observed, “are in addition to series of violent attacks on security personnel and formation in the region. It is my utmost belief that the new special operation action plan will re-order and stabilize security in the South-South region, and I charge personnel deployed for the operation to courageously and fiercely defend themselves and innocent citizens as well as critical national infrastructure against any arms-bearing criminal group or elements.

The IGP appreciated the Executive Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, other South-South Governors, traditional rulers, community leaders, religious leaders and other state actors in the region, for their individual and collective efforts toward supporting the Police and the law enforcement community in achieving a safe, secure and peaceful south-south region.

He assured that the new special operation will provide an all-inclusive front to confront criminal elements, take the battle to their doorsteps and re-order the cherished national values of peace and unity in the region.

The Governor of Rivers State, represented by His Deputy, Dr. Mrs. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo said the state government will continue to support the police to fight crime in the area.

“We are committed to an atmosphere of peace where our people will go about their legitimate businesses without any disturbances. We as a government and as a people, continue to believe in the sovereignty of Nigeria and will continue to support the Nigeria Police Force especially in situations like this,” she emphasized.

 

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