The Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has blamed politicians on violence that characterized the country.
Governor Amaechi made the remark during the launching of the “Stop Kidnapping Campaign of the Rivers State Police Command in Port Harcourt.
Amaechi who recalled how politicians armed the youths to win elections lamented that the politicians who gave them the guns to fight their political enemies were unable to retrieve the gun from them pointing out that the youths later use the guns against the politicians.
Governor Amaechi who was represented by his deputy, Engr. Tele Ikuru commended the Rivers State Police Commissioner, Mr. Tunde Ogusakin for his professional conduct, describing him as a hard working police officer.
According to him, kidnapping is an issue that need to be nipped in the bud pointing out that it started in Nigeria with the introduction of mobile phones which he said has made it much easier for kidnappers to negotiate ransom with the family of the victims, adding that the only way to fight kidnapping was though electronic method.
Governor Amaechi who noted that the society was bigger than every individual irrespective of his or her position in the society, called on politicians to stop arming the youths for their selfish interest.
Earlier in his speech Senator George Sekibo, the Senator representing Rivers East Senatorial District and Chairman of Senate Committee on Defence who chaired the ceremony while commending Rivers State police command for organizing the programme, described the event as timely stressing that the issue of kidnapping was a problem to everyone.
Senator Sekibo who noted that the issue of kidnapping has been a nightmare to the people of the country said the only way to avert the problem was through a collective approach and enjoined everyone to join hands with the police to fight against kidnapping.
In his speech the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Tunde Ogusakin noted that the programme was stop kidnapping in the state and the nation.
The Commissioner who recalled effort by the Rivers State Police Command under his watch to end crime in Rivers State called on the people of the state to give the command appropriate information that will lead to track down those who engage in crime stressing that the only way to fight crime to a stand still is through collective means and enjoined everyone to coporate with the police.
The keynote speaker at the ceremony was Professor Seth Accra Jaja of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology. ###
Emeka Jilly Ejiowhor
