We’ll continue to support police – Rivers

JULY 15, 2013  

Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi

The Rivers State Government has said its face-off with the state Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mbu, will not  stop it from supporting and relating with the Nigeria Police Force.

The state government said it would  continue to support the police to discharge their duties in spite of the misunderstanding between it and the security agency.

Rivers State Deputy Governor, Tele Ikuru, said this at the N100m fund-raising for  police chaplain building at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, on Saturday.

Ikuru’s statement appeared to have contradicted Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who had earlier threatened to stop funding the police in his state on account of his differences with the state commissioner of police.

Amaechi had repeatedly called for  Mbu’s transfer from the state and had last Friday petitioned the Police Service Commission, in which he insisted on his removal.

But Ikuru explained that the state government was the biggest supporter of the police, adding that the state sponsored 300 policemen to Israel sometime ago for training, noting that the men  were part of the “nucleus of the changed and re-invigorated force.”

He said, “But the bottomline is not whether we have issues or we do not have issues; when we see good things, we support it.”

The deputy governor, who donated N2m to the building project, commended the police for their roles in combating criminals in the state and other parts of the Niger Delta region during the period of crisis.

Meanwhile, the Chairman, Unity Party of Nigeria and Founder, Oodua People’s Congress, Dr. Frederick Fasehun, has said Amaechi needs to respect President Goodluck Jonathan, despite their differences.

Fasehun said this in a statement in Lagos on Sunday.

He said no matter the situation of things, Jonathan remained the President, adding that whatever the governor sowed he would reap.

He said, “Amaechi must accord due honour to the President, despite their personal differences.

“He (Amaechi) should know that whatever he sows he will reap. If he sows respect, he will reap respect and if he sows dishonour, he will reap dishonour. Not only the Holy books, even good home training teaches this and the governor ought to know.”