Edith CHUKU
The Rivers State Police command has reassured citizens of its commitment to maintaining law and order, while appealing they cooperate and support legitimate police operations in ensuring the safety and security of all residents.
The command gave this reassurance in a statement on Friday, where it warned residents of the activities of individuals impersonating police officers and extorting unsuspecting members of the public across the state.
In the statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Irinke-Koko, revealed that the impostors, who reportedly dress in black attire, have been mounting illegal checkpoints and harassing residents, a development it described as disturbing.
“The attention of the Rivers State Police Command has been drawn to a disturbing trend, where a group of individuals portraying as Police Officers, wearing black attire, and engaging in the extortion of unsuspecting citizens in the State.
“This development is deeply concerning and the Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adewole Adepoju, has launched a robust mechanism to monitor, identify, apprehend, and prosecute those involved in this illegal act to the full extant of the law.
“It is imperative to note that no individual, regardless of their claimed affiliation, has the authority to conduct searches of personal devices of the citizens, such as phones or laptops, on the road or at checkpoints, or demand that you accompany them to withdraw or transfer cash from a POS operator or any financial institution.”
The command further advised the public to exercise vigilance and report any suspicious activities or encountered hostile checkpoints to the police hotlines below:
Complaint Response Unit (CRU): 07057605256, 08120822987, 09035774814
- PPRO: 09014273818
- Control Room: 08032003514
