Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara has advised the newly deployed Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, to avoid partisan politics but be professional in his duties.

Gov. Fubara, who spoke while receiving Adepoju in Government House,.Port Harcourt on Friday, January 17, 2025, told the new CP to shun nocturnal meetings aimed at using him to declare war in the State.

The governor noted that the new Commissioner of Police is not new in the State, especially being in charge of operations, stressing, “Your duty, as it stands now, is to work with the government and other sister agencies to maintain law and order and protect the lives and property of the people of Rivers State.”

Advising him, the governor said, “Don’t be political; be apolitical, as you just read in your speech. Don’t attend nocturnal meetings in people’s houses at night and then, in the morning, you declare war in Rivers State. That is the only advice I will give to you”.

The governor said his government would continue to support CP Adepoju to ensure his success in the state adding that his success in Rivers would mean his elevation.

He said: “If you leave a bad record here, it will one day affect your growth in the course of your profession. We will not ask you to do anything unprofessional. I have never done that before, and I will not do it in your time.

He appealed to him to be a professional police officer, saying that his predecessors succeeded because of the government support, assuring him of the same level of support to succeed so that the prevailing peace in the State will continue.

He said, “You are not a greenhorn here; you already know the terrain. You’ve been operating here. The major challenges we have presently are issues of cultism and kidnapping, especially in the outskirts of Port Harcourt.”

“Come with your own plans, and we will give you all the necessary support to ensure these particular crimes are quelled. These are the two areas I would like you to focus on”.

The governor noted that his government has been working with other security agencies to tackle the two challenges but pointed out that they were the primary responsibilities of the police.

While requesting the police boss to make every effort to work with his government to reduce the crimes, he called on him to attend every function of the government.

He said,”The police is the only security agency that ought to work closely with the government, so work with me to ensure Rivers State succeeds—not just for me, as my tenure is limited, but for the survival and success of the State, which is the most important thing.

“I solicit your support and assure you that, on our part, we will do everything within our powers to ensure your success”.

Earlier, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, who is the 47th Commissioner of Police in Rivers, expressed his appreciation to the leadership and hospitality of Gov. Fubara.

CP Adepoju said he came with an unwavering commitment to work tirelessly and collaboratively to ensure the safety, security and peace of every citizen in Rivers, adding that he was fully aware of the complex security challenges in Rivers State.

He assured the governor that the Police command under his leadership will confront the challenges with determination and innovation.

The Police Commissioner promised that they will continue to strengthen their intelligence gathering capabilities, enhance rapid response mechanisms, and foster deeper trust and collaborations with the communities that they serve.

He vowed that the Police command will remain firmly apolitical, standing as a neutral and impartial institution, dedicated solely to upholding law and order which is vital to maintaining the trust and confidence of the people they protect.