Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has urged the newly appointed Commissioner of Police Olugbenga Adepoju to avoid engaging in “nocturnal meetings” that could destabilise the state.

According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, Governor Fubara emphasised the importance of putting the welfare of the people above all other considerations, to ensure lasting peace and stability in Rivers State.

The governor made this statement during a courtesy visit from CP Adepoju, the 47th Commissioner of Police for Rivers State, at the Government House in Port Harcourt on Friday.

Fubara said: “You are not a new person in our State. You’ve been here, more especially, in charge of Operations.

“It then means if I start to talk about my story, it’ll connect with your activities in Operations. But I am not going to talk about my story.

“But the good thing here is, you said something that I want to really anchor on. Your duty, as it stands now, is to work with the government, work with other sister agencies to maintain law and order, protect lives and property of the people of Rivers State.

“Be apolitical, as you just read in your address. Don’t go to nocturnal meetings in people’s houses, and in the morning, you come and declare war on Rivers people. That is the only advice I will give to you.

“While you are carrying out the larger assignment that your people from headquarters will send you, also make sure that you look for every way possible to reduce issues of cultism because it is affecting our secondary schools, it is affecting our primary schools with students growing to become monsters, which is also leading to other issues like kidnapping and others.

“It starts from somewhere. So, we must also get to the root and reduce it. I know we cannot totally eliminate it, but, somehow, let us look for a way to reduce it.”

In his address, CP Adepoju expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity to serve as the 47th Commissioner of Police in Rivers State.

He acknowledged the complex security challenges the state faces and assured that he is committed to addressing them with professionalism and innovative solutions.

He said: “We will strengthen our intelligence gathering capabilities, enhance our rapid response mechanism, and most importantly, foster deeper trust and collaboration with the community we serve.

“Our Command will remain firmly apolitical, standing as a neutral and impartial institution, dedicated solely to upholding law and order.

“This commitment is vital to maintaining the trust and confidence of the people we protect.”

CP Adepoju also said: “While we will engage constructively with political leaders and key stakeholders to secure necessary resources and support, our engagement will always be conducted with professionalism and integrity.”

Fubara charges new Commissioner of Police to avoid meetings that could disrupt peace in Rivers