The new commissioner of police, Akwa Ibom State command, Mr. John Bassey Abang, has served a quit notice to cultists, robbery suspects and other criminal elements in the state, vowing that criminal activity would not be condoned under his leadership.
Abang speaking in a maiden press briefing Thursday at the state Police Headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia in Uyo local government area, said his command would have zero-tolerance for such activities, warning criminal elements to desist from the act or be dealt with according to the law of the land.
He assured to enforce the state government’s proscription order on cultism and to consolidate on the successes recorded by Mr Adeyemi Samuel Ogunjemilusi, his predecessor, particularly in Etim Ekpo and Ukanafun local government areas ravaged by the activities of secret cultists-turned aggrieved youths.
“Akwa Ibom State is regarded as one of the most peaceful states in the country. I will not condone anything that will disturb the peace of the state. We want to seen as a safest place in order to attract more investors to the state. For people who want to stop this, we will not tolerate criminal activities that want to disrupt the peaceful nature of the state,” he warned.
The Police boss, however, told politicians in the state to desist from politics of bitterness and thuggery as the command is poised to ensure that anyone seen to break the law would be made to face its full wrath.
Abang, however, pledged to partner other security agencies and stakeholders to ensure free, fair, credible and transparent elections in the coming 2019 polls.
“May I assure all the political parties duly registered by INEC that the Akwa Ibom State command will ensure a level playing ground for all the parties and operate within the ambit of the rule of law as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) while assuring that his personnel would respect the fundamental human rights of law abiding citizens of the Land of Promise.
“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 stated.
The Commissioner of Police said he would maintain the relative peace for which the state is known by increasing intelligence gathering mechanisms, improve on visibility policing capacity and reinvigorate community policing.
An indigene of Boki local government area of Cross River State, Abang is the 24th commissioner in Akwa Ibom State.
He holds a B. Sc (Hons) degree in International Studies from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and a Post Graduate Diploma in Criminal Justice Administration from the University of Lagos, Akoka.
