The Akwa Ibom State Police Command had vowed to wage war against anyone who engages in criminal acts or perpetrates violence during the 2019 general elections in the state.
It also added that it would take full charge and create a conducive atmosphere for credible elections devoid of violence and bloodshed.
The state police Commissioner, CP John Bassey Abang, FDC, who stated this on Thursday at the Command’s headquarters Ikot-Akpanabia Uyo during his maiden media briefing stressed that any person found culpable of election violence shall be prosecuted based on extant laws of the state.
According to him, “the command will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that perpetrators of election violence and other criminal acts are brought to book in accordance with the laws of the land.”
He pledged his readiness to partner with sister security agencies and other critical stakeholders to actualize a free, fair and credible election and called on political stakeholders and their supporters to avoid politics of bitterness and thuggery.
The commissioner, however, assured all the duly registered political parties in the state of a level playing ground, urging them to operate within the ambits of the rule of law as enshrined in the 1999 constitution (as amended).
He also promised to organize a sensitization workshop for police personnel bordering on respect for the fundamental Human Rights of all law-abiding citizens in the state, saying that such would ensure decorum and civility in the conducts of the officers and men.
The newly posted Commissioner also said he would sustain and consolidate on the achievements of his predecessor, Adeyemi Ogunjemilusi in restoring peace and normalcy in the war-torn areas of Etim Ekpo and Ukanafun local councils of the state.
He added that the state governments’ order on proscription of cultism still stands, warning remaining miscreants to leave the state immediately or risk being flushed out.
“I have studied the indices of violent crimes in the state and realised that there is a nexus between cultism and violent crimes, hence, i will enforce to the later the state government’s order on the proscription of cultism and consolidate on the successes so far recorded in EtimEkpo and Ukanafun local government areas of the state.
“Let me warn criminal elements in the state to leave the state in one piece immediately or be flushed out. ” He warned.
Abang who is also the 24th commissioner in the state promised to serve the state professionally and in accordance with international best practices where the rule of law prevails.
“My model will be intelligence gathering mechanisms, improve on our policing capacity and reinvigorate community policing which the IGP has ensured that all commands implement. I will also ensure that our response time to distress calls are swift and timely,” he promised.
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