The new commissioner of Police for Anambra State, CP, John Abang has assumed office with a promise to phase out cultism, armed robbery and other forms of violent crimes in the State.
Abang who briefed journalists at the state police command to announce his arrival and assumption of office as the new police commissioner said under his watch, the command would not tolerate any form of vices, but listed cultism, stealing, armed robbery, ‘one chance’ gangs, crisis resulting from land tussle or even dissemination of fake news.
“I have been fully briefed on a few criminal and security challenges in the State at the moment. These include disputes over land, the menace of one chance robbery gangs, robbery, kidnapping and of course cultism.
“In keeping with the vision of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), IGP Mohammed Abubakar Adamu NPM, MNI, to ‘make Nigeria safer and more secure for economic development and growth…’, the Command under my watch shall take a zero-tolerance stance on crime.
“Therefore, all our efforts and energies shall be mobilized and deployed towards the prevention of crimes; and the successful apprehension of criminals that would test our resolve. The Command shall reinvigorate Operation Puff Adder and give it more bite to tackle cultism, robbery and kidnapping particularly.
“This is a clarion call to all officers and men of the Command to brace up for the task ahead. My advice to cultists, robbers and kidnappers is for them to have a rethink and purge themselves or relocate away from the State.”
He added that, “Another menace is the issue of fake news which has the capacity to cause widespread disaffection, chaos, violence or disruption of the public peace. May I use this medium to warn the purveyors of such news through whatever means to desist henceforth; or face the full wrath of the law whenever they are apprehended.”
On the issue of crisis resulting from land tussle, Abang said efforts would be made to employ Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) strategies and Community Policing Principles where applicable and germane to resolve specific problems and issues.
The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu had through the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba announced on Monday the deployment of the Police commissioner in Anambra, Mustapha Dandaura to Rivers State, While Abang replaces him in Anambra.
