Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Monday said the State will give N220 million to families of eleven policemen killed by gunmen during recent attacks on police formations in the State.
Each family will get N20 million, according to Wike.
The governor, who announced this during a condolence visit to the Commissioner of Police, Friday Eboka and officers of the State Police Command on Monday, tasked them to henceforth be on offensive against those who perpetrated these heinous acts.
Wike, while addressing officers and men at the Police Officers Mess in Port Harcourt, said his visit was to commiserate with them over the death of some of their colleagues who lost their lives in line of duty while protecting the State.
He acknowledged that though no amount of money could equate to human life, the State’s gesture was aimed at assuaging the bereaved families that their loved ones never died in vain.
The governor described as heart-wrenching the unwarranted killing of policemen who were legitimately protecting lives and property of citizens of the country.
“In the past two to three weeks, we have lost eleven police officers and men. This is a dark period for us in the State,” he said.
He lamented that those who carried out the dastardly killings have cold-heartedly turned the wives of the slain policemen to widows and rendered their children, fatherless for no just cause.
The governor reiterated that no amount of vicious attacks or intimidation could compel Rivers State to become part of any secession agenda.
He maintained that the people of Rivers State believed in the unity of the Nigerian State.
“We must be united to fight for this country to be one. We must not allow anyone to talk about secession. If you want to secede, Rivers State is not part of it, and nobody can cow Rivers State to be part of it. Not under my watch will I allow that.”
The governor, who assured the State Police Command of the government’s continuous support, however, charged police personnel to be more careful and vigilant.
The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Friday Eboka on behalf of the Acting Inspector General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman, thanked the governor for assuaging the pain of the bereaved families.
Eboka told the governor that the armed men who attacked three different police formations for no justifiable reason gruesomely killed seven officers. According to him, two officers who sustained bullet injuries, were receiving treatment.
“It is noteworthy that the hoodlums did not escape without suffering fatalities, as two of them lost their lives and their Hilux riddled with bullets was abandoned. Thanks to RRT Commander and other Tactical Teams who responded to the distress call,” he said.
He stated that in spite of these ugly developments, officers and men of the State command would not shy away from their responsibilities.
“Your visit today will further boost their morals. I therefore want to use this opportunity to re-assure the good people of Rivers State of our resolve to continue to protect their lives and property.”
Also, Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom has donated N60 million to families of slain policemen by unknown gunmen in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor’s donation was contained in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Ini Ememobong, on Monday in Uyo.
Ememobong said the governor announced the donation when he visited the State Police Headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia, Uyo, after the state Executive Council meeting.
He said that the visit was to commiserate with the police authority over the loss of some police personnel and equipment in the last one month.
“Immediately after the state executive council meeting, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr Udom Emmanuel, paid a visit to the officers and men of the Police at the State Police Headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia, Uyo.
“The visit, he said was to condole with the command over the loss of men and assets to the recent security issues witnessed in the state.
“He announced a donation of the sum of N60 million for the families of the policemen who lost their breadwinners in this period,” he said.
According to him, the Commissioner of Police(CP), Mr Andrew Amiengheme, informed the governor that the command has lost 21 personnel, 11 vehicles, seven firearms during the various attacks across the state.
Ememobong quoted the CP as saying that, the morale of the men were lifted by the governor’s visit.
He said that the policemen expressed appreciation to the governor for the donation and promised to do all within their powers to bring an end to the new wave of criminality in the state.
