Police, SSS, military declare war on kidnappers in Rivers

Security agencies in Rivers State have set up a special patrol team comprising the Police, Army, Navy, Air Force and the Department of State Security, to curb high rate of kidnapping and armed robbery in the state.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Tunde Ogunsakin, and other service commanders in the state, yesterday, inaugurated the outfit codenamed, “Operation Spark”.

Speaking on behalf of the service commanders, Ogunsakin said the team would carry out, “overt and extensive covert operations,” in remote and urban areas to combat crime in the state.

The Police boss said that troops attached to the team had received special and professional training to enable them ensure that law and order were restored in the state soonest.

“The team, codenamed ‘Operation Shark’, will take conventional law enforcement to areas that are somewhat difficult to operate, with the intention to end criminal activities throughout the state.

“Operation Spark is a highly trained unit which primary mission is responding to state-wide distress calls in connection with kidnapping, terrorism, armed robbery and other forms of criminality”.

According to Ogunsakin, the team’s primary area of responsibility was to carry out 24-hours patrol of the state in order to reduce criminal activities to the barest level.

“Its missions include conduct of discreet and effective patrols of major government structures and installations to avert any form of sabotage.

“Drawing from the available intelligence, conduct arrest of persons, who are into nefarious criminal activities or likely to cause insecurity in the state,” he said.

Also, he said that the team would respond to distress calls from the Joint Control Room and conduct raids on criminal hide-outs and black spots to dislodge criminal gangs.

He maintained that adequate security had been beefed up in the state in preparation for the forthcoming Easter celebrations.Those at the launch were the Commander of 2 Brigade, Brig-Gen. Osasogie Uzamere,  Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship, Pathfinder, Commodore Godwin Ochai; the Commander, 97 Special Operations Group of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Jekennu Augustine and the state Director, Department of State Security, Mr. Abok Nyam.