Police Launch ‘Rivers Zero Crime’ Initiative

Rivers State Police Command has initiated a new scheme aimed at eradicating crime in the state. The scheme is called ‘Rivers Zero Crime’ (RZC).
The Commissioner of Police, Dr. Polycarp Nwonyi, said at a press conference preceding the launch of the scheme in Port Harcourt on Wednesday that RZC was set up to rebuild trust in the police, fight crime and promote unity between the police and the public.
He said without law and order there cannot be any meaningful development in the state.
He recalled that within the three months that he had been in the state, the police had recorded huge successes against crime and criminals in the state.
He listed the arrest of 66 criminals, rescue of 20 kidnapped persons, the killing of 18 violent criminals, recovery of 33 arms, 69 ammunition and 17 stolen vehicles as some of his achievements so far. One of those killed by the police, he said, was Wodi Amadi, a kidnap gang leader, who had been on the wanted list of the police for several murders including those of policemen along the East-West Road.
Dr. Nwonyi said the Rivers Zero Crime initiative is a people-driven volunteer scheme initiated by Ms. Kate Ezeigbo to sanitise the state of criminal activities and generate information for the police.
He said about 100 organisations in the state are partnering with the police in the scheme. He said for a state like Rivers State that is blessed with diverse cultures and rich mineral resources, there was the need to guarantee law and order so that people could freely go about their activities anywhere in the state and at any time of the day with molestation.
He assured members of the public that any information they shared with the police would be acted on and treated with confidentiality. He also said any policeman that is reported or caught committing crime would be summarily dealt with.
The Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Prof. Ngozi Odu, who represented the governor, said everyone in the state had to work in synergy with the police and government to see to it that the initiative works. “We want to see a state where we can walk about anytime.”
A week-long programme has been arranged to launch the Rivers Zero Crime scheme beginning from 14th September to 20th September.