The Rivers State Commissioner of Police Olugbenga A. Adepoju, decorates newly promoted officers under his command, as he vows to rid the state of all forms of criminality
By Jude Nzennaya, Port Harcourt
The Rivers State Commissioner of Police (CP) Olugbenga A. Adepoju, has vowed to make the state uncomfortable for crimes and criminality, insisting that criminals must desist or relocate from the state.
He stated this while decorating no fewer than 119 Senior Police Officers who were recently promoted comprising 40 Superintendents promoted to Chief Superintendents of Police (CSPs), 21 Deputy Superintendents promoted to Superintendents of Police (SPs) and 58 Assistant Superintendents who were promoted to Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs).
CP Adepoju was assisted by Deputy Commissioners of Police in-charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Operations and Administration in decorating the elevated men and officers.
In his remarks, the CP thanked the Almighty God for making the day a reality and a great honour while welcoming the guests to the ceremony.
He said: “We are decorating these Officers who are promoted because of their hard work and dedication,” while thanking the Police Service Commission (PSC) for the timely release of the promotions after recommendations by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Aseolu Egbetokun and for giving him the privilege to decorate the promoted officers.
Adepoju urged the newly promoted Senior Officers to shun all forms of professional misconduct and bring their vast experiences to bear on their new ranks just as he advised the newly promoted to be ready to contribute positively to advancing the ideals of the Nigeria Police Force as every promotion comes with higher responsibilities.
In a vote of thanks, one of the newly promoted Senior Officers CSP Orok Edet, who spoke on behalf of other officers, thanked God Almighty for making their promotions possible, expressing gratitude to the IGP Egbetokun, the PSC and, CP Adepoju and his management team for decorating them, noting that they will uphold the tenets of the Nigeria Police Force.
Meanwhile Adepoju has vowed to fish out suspected kidnappers, who ambushed an expatriate on the Aleto Bridge in Rivers, forcing him to drown in an attempt to avoid them.
He stated this when he visited the scene of the incident where the vehicle conveyed the victim, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Rivers State Cassava Project Limited, Mr. Gibson Reuben plunged into the river.
It was learnt that Reuben, an expatriate from the Netherlands, lost his life in the incident, which occurred on Monday, January 13, 2025, at 8:30pm on the Aleto Eleme Bridge.
A statement signed by the PRO of the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police (SP) imdicated that the Mobile Police personnel accompanying Reuben managed to escape while he and the Hilux Van were submerged in the water.
“A search operation led by the Command’s Marine Unit has since been constituted to rescue the expatriate who drove the Hilux van. The search efforts resulted in the recovery of Reuben’s lifeless body and the white Toyota Hilux Van,” she said.
