By Brave Dickson
The Commissioner of Police, Nigeria Railway Corporation, CP John Ogbonnaya Amadi has promised to deploy additional 15 police personnel to the Railway Police Command in Rivers State so as to boost effective policing within Railway territories in the state.
CP Amadi made this known in response to presentations made by stakeholders as challenges fronting the State Railway Police Command during the CP’s maiden visit to the Command.
In his welcome address, the State Chairman, Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), Railway Division, Chief Aloysius Nwakama highlighted some challenges of the Division to include:
“1) Cell expansion for both female and male inmates,” adding that “the current cell we have now in the Railway Police Command of Rivers State is too small to accommodate inmates.
“2) The office built many years ago for DCB is now too small to carryout the task it was built for and as such needs to be expanded.
“3) An additional patrol vehicle is needed to complement the security van donated by PCRC of the State Railway Division which is seemingly not in good shape as it used to be.
“Such additional patrol van will help enhance effective patrol which will in turn nip crime and criminality in the bud within our jurisdiction.
“4) Officers and men of the Railway Police Command in Rivers State need additional accommodations so as to enable the gallant police officers and men of this Division to be psychologically stable to police our communities within the Railway jurisdiction effectively.
“Additional police personnel should be deployed to the Railway Police Command in Rivers State as shortage of manpower is a challenge affecting effective policing in our jurisdiction.”
The visiting CP said, “over 1,000 police personnel had been given to me by the Inspector General of Police and I have begun deployment. Very soon, your Division will receive 15 personnel in addition to the existing ones on the ground.
“Accommodation for officers and men is a nation wide issue but we have ironed out ways to address accommodation problem confronting police personnel.
“We have also put arrangement in place to ensure that we send at least one security van to you.”
The CP therefore urged the officers and men of the State Railway Police Division to stay professional, insisting that he would not hesitate to discipline any erring personnel under his watch including Divisional Police Officers.
In his address, the Divisional Police Officer, Railway Police Command, Rivers State, SP Richard Omeri Nwachi assured the CP of an existing high level of discipline among his officers and men, boasting that crime and criminality within his jurisdiction have been reduced to the barest minimum under his watch as DPO of the Division.
SP Nwachi said, “in the area of discipline, duty, consciousness and observation of human rights, the officers and men of this Division (Railway Police Command) now have an enviable track record of satisfactory conduct and we assure you our CP that these standard and high profile conduct will be maintained.
“Due to the painstaking and effective crime combating strategy by officers and men of this Division, we are delighted to inform you that there has been no serious threat to breakdown of law and order since I assumed duty in this Division about three months ago.
“Vandals have been halted, some arrested and diligently prosecuted while cases of unlawful carnal knowledge and defilement as well as stealing with violence have been tackled with the perpetrators dealt with accordingly.”
Stakeholders in attendance at the event include: Rivers State Chairman, PCRC, Chief Casca Ogosu; Area Command Chairman, PCRC, Chief E. Ogan; Area Manager Railway Property MGT Company LTD, Mrs T.C. Emmanuel, Chairman, Rivers State Railway Landlords Association, Chief Mazi Okoronkwo among others.
