The Nigeria Security and Security Civil Defence Corps Rivers State Command has condemned in strong terms a misleading information widely circulating on the social media in connection with the 10 Operational Vehicles donated by His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara GSSRS.
Speaking on behalf of the State Commandant, Joachin Okafor fcai . at the command headquarters in Port Harcourt; the command spokesman Superintendent Olufemi Ayodele said in tandem with the usual tradition of Service Commanders paying courtesy call to the Chief Security Officer of the State; the new State Commandant did same upon assumption of office and tendered his achievements and the challenges faced by the command.
Some of the notable achievements are: Uncovering an abandoned construction site used for illegal bunkering activities where about 70 Tanks of Crude oil were stored at Igbo-Etche in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, the arrest of 2 suspects with a massive Barge laden with illegally refined petroleum products at Slaughter area, Woji Wharf in Port Harcourt; the arrests of 5 other suspects for illegal dealings in petroleum products at Iwofe-Tombia waterways by the Command Marine Squad, impounding of Trucks laden with AGO amongst others were all achieved within 7days in office by the State Commandant and these were relayed to His Excellency during the courtesy visit.
Moved by the tenacity and doggedness to combat Crude Oil theft and reiterated commitment to salvage the good people of Rivers State from environmental degradation, pollution of the aquatic life, health hazards mostly caused by illegal dealings in petroleum products perpetrated by Oil thieves in the State; the Executive Governor as he had earlier donated over 100 vehicles to some Security Agencies in Rivers state reciprocated same gesture by donating 10 Toyota Hilux Vehicles to enhance the operational efficiency of the NSCDC Rivers State Command and this took place before the conduct of the Local Government Elections.
However, the command got flagabasted by various unfounded and denigrating news currently circulating on the social media arrogating the donation of operational vehicles as gratification and compensation for participating in the just concluded local government elections.
To set the record straight; Commandant Joachin Okafor was recently deployed as the 15th substantive Rivers State Commandant by the NSCDC Commandant General, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi mni, OFR based on his pedigree of diligent service and track record of numerous excellent achievements as Head of Antivandal Squad in Kano State, Rivers State and Commandant of Niger State where the command under his watch got the donations of 20 operational vehicles from the Niger State Governor.
“As seen in the video circulating on the internet the operatives of the Rivers State Command were overwhelmed with great excitement and jubilation as the command is of course fortunate to have a Commandant whose assumption of office brought a long awaited transformation, progress and remarkable achievements within a period less than one month”.
The Rivers State Command is here by stating unequivocally that the vehicles were not donated for elections neither were they compensations for participating in the Local Government Elections but to enhance the command’s land operational patrol like every other security agencies.
Our role in the last Local Government Election centered on routine patrol and the protection of critical national assets and infrastructure across the state based on the Intelligence report at our disposal even before the election was conducted; these infrastructure and amenities were provided as succour to the good people of Rivers State and should not be vandalized by hoodlums because of its negative effects on the economy of the nation and the state as well.
“We therefore urge the media from various quarters to desist from biased, unfounded and libelous statements targeted against the integrity of the Rivers State Commandant and by extension the NSCDC but rather imbibe the acceptable professional ethical standards and guiding rules of international media best practices in their social media publications and news reportage”.
The NSCDC remains neutral, apolitical and nonpartisan in matters of elections but sincerely committed to actualizing its core mandate by combating vandalism of public utilities and swift response to rescue victims during emergency.
“The newly deployed Rivers State Commandant is an outstanding achiever, a crime fighter, a trail blazer and a Security Service Commander of repute who is fully committed to the safety and security of the good people Rivers State, projection of the Corps’ positive image and effective delivery of the NSCDC statutory mandate”.
In furtherance, our collaborations with sisters security agencies in ensuring adequate protection of the lives and property of the good people of Rivers State remains firm; it is on this note that the NSCDC enjoins the public to partner with the command by giving credible intelligence and information needed to nip crimes in the bud and arrest criminal minded persons across the state because security is a matter of collective responsibility”.
SIGNED:
SC OLUFEMI AYODELE mcai, anipr.
PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
NSCDC RIVERS STATE COMMAND.