As part of ongoing efforts to enhance the protection of lives and property, the Rivers State Government has appealed to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to shelve their planned solidarity march for the Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) in the State.
In a statement released today in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications Mr Emma Okah said it is disheartening that some politicians are importing hostile politics and divisiveness into crime fighting and prevention thereby weakening the efforts of the state government to ensure that Rivers State is safe for all.
According to him, the media space is full of bitter stories and indeed the Government of Rivers State has continuously raised alarm over the criminal atrocities of some operatives of the SARS in Rivers State without any concrete action been taken by the police high command. While these problems remain painfully unresolved, it will be extreme wickedness for anyone to applaud the same SARS through solidarity march as if we have lost our humanity as a people.
“Crime has no border and knows no political party, sex or religion and as often as there is harm or threatened harm to a society, the stakeholders should stand together and in one voice, confront the challenge, Okah said, noting that it is disheartening for anybody or indeed the APC to fraternize with SARS when the growing allegations of killing, kidnap, armed robbery, extortion etc made against them remain uninvestigated. To do so will be the shame of Rivers State and a demonstration of a diminished brotherhood among Rivers people”
While the State Government will continue to support security agencies in the discharge of their duties in Rivers State, Okah said it will be in the collective interest of the people of the State to stop politicising crime and promoting deep seated political hatred as the duty to protect our state rests on all of us.
“While governments will come and go, the State will remain for all of us and future generations. Therefore SARS should be our friends, inspire public trust in the police and not be our enemies or a source of fear, agony, pain and anguish in Rivers State and as often as they torment Rivers people, nobody should play Pontius Pilate ” he further said.
