Nigeria Police now a political party – Wike

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has advised the Police to concentrate on their constitutional responsibility of providing security.

Speaking at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Friday when he granted audience to Mr Zaki Ahmed, the New Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Governor Wike regretted that the Nigerian Police Force has metamorphosed into a political party.

He said because of political considerations, the Nigerian Police sabotaged the  Rivers State Amnesty Programme. The governor said that the politicisation of Police operations in the state has been counterproductive in several respects.

He said: “The Police instead of fighting crime has constituted itself into a political party. Everything for the police must be considered from a political viewpoint .

“Allow politicians to play politics.  Simply do security work. A state like Rivers is key to Nigeria.  Our national assets are here and that is why we always support security agencies “, he said.

The governor said that the police have not reciprocated the investments made by his administration  in their operations.

He noted that over 150 patrol vans have been  handed  over to  the  police since he assumed  leadership. He added that funds made available  to  the Police for communication gadgets in all 23 Local Government Areas and purchase  of  bullet proof vests, were not used by the force.

He called on the police  to  be professional  in the discharge of their  duties, assuring  that he will continue to support  them.

Earlier, the new Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Zaki Ahmed  appealed to the Governor  to support  the police with logistics. He assured  the  governor that he will  discharge  his duties professionally.