2018 Christmas and New Year irrespective of all measured was characterized and marred by crimes in magnified degrees, ranging from use of Highlander, Siena cars in packing peoples goods and wares at gun point to surrounding those in the bars or Restaurants and have their handsets and cash collected from them at gun point.
The crimes go on and on examples abound.
Ritzy Richardson was new in Restaurant and bar business located at No.6 Njemanze Street, was happy as her business was booming before the Christmas, because her restaurant was the only standard restaurant around that area.
Her customers includes the tanker drivers, office workers, friends etc who could spend some amount of money to have good time with their girls.
Unfortunately, her joy of making fortune was short lived as on 23rd December 2018.
According to Ritzy, “It was on 23rd of December at about 8.00pm, a gang of 4 boys armed with guns target into my restaurant full with my customers, some drinking and some others easting; everyone was forced to lie down on they searched and took all our handsets and money leaving us with nothing.
“We were compelled to obey under gun point as they released some shots in the air. I had never had so an experience before. It was quite frustrating since then I don’t have the courage to open for business because of fear and again I have lost all my customers. It is as if the boys are there monitoring me. What of my customers? It is quite unlikely they will patronize my Restaurant again.
“you need to see the number of customers I had that day. What I lost in that robbery incidence is heart breaking and each time I remember if I become paralysed, it would seem as if nothing works in my system.
“To me it was as if the world has come to an end as we acted under gun point small boys took us hostage for over 30 minutes.” Ritzy concludes
On going to the Mile one Fly-over to board a taxi we saw a girl pursuing one boy and the young girl who looked tired was shouting “stop him, he has snatched my phone; stop him”
It was all in vain, for there was no one to help. We later learned that Uduak Saturday, was just coming back from her village after the New year and on passing through the fly-over, she had a call and on receiving the call, the young man snatched her handset form her and ran towards a bush
Uduak lamented how many times she had fallen victim in the hands of these bandits. She looks tired, and said “it is either my handset or my bag before my very eyes. I am always their target. Crimes within the period was magnified to the extent that those who did not travel for Christmas lived in fiasco and under cover. Streets were empty and those boys took advantage of the situation, they were (and still) are in every street, at every joint planning for the next operation.
Today, they are after bags, wallets, cell phones, cash and swollen pockets. In many cases they target goods, drinks, provisions and other items.
Now that the new commissioner of police Mr. Usman Bellee has around in Rivers State and made promise to reduce crime in the state to zero level, we strongly believe that every police outfit will strategize her operations towards bringing crimes to zero level and the residents of Port Harcourt will smile with relief. The earlier their hopes are rekindled the better and more praises to the Nigeria police Force
Still on security, Rivers State police command spoke on the achievements of the command in review, noting that the State had face crises of attacks by gunmen,inter cult clashes that led to the beheaded of suspected members as well as other crimes.
” all the same, we were able to stabilize the security situation in the state. We had cases of inter cult war, beheading of drivers cult members, at a point we were able to destinate them. Some of them were arrested, persecuted and some who tried to fire us and in return we fired and they were killed accordingly. While some of them left the state completely.
We are still fighting them, especially the cases of unknown gunmen attacking some persons. We have made adequate deployment to arrest the situation”he stated.
He further revealed that 80 percent of the criminals live within the communities and call for prompt information that would lead to the arrest of the pepetrators of the crime.
He stressed that they need the collaborative efforts of the members of the public to be able to silence the criminals.
He further warned politicians and their supporters to play by the rule of the game as the 2019 election approach.He added that the security agency will work with other stake holders towards achieving a peaceful free and fair election.
” about the forth coming elections of 2019,the players should play by the rules and also talk to their supporters and fans to stay away from troubles and they themselves should also stay away from troubles. The election will come and go, there will be Rivers State there after. So we don’t need to die because of the election. If we organize ourselves and put our house right,we can have a good election,a credible one for that matter, free of violence” he stated .
