His deployment to Bayelsa state as police commissioner was the best decision by the IGP. JOY EMMANUEL reports on how he has fought crimes within a short time.
Before Mike Okoli resumed as commissioner of police in Bayelsa state, it was stories of unparalleled criminalities.There was the killing of naval officers in Nembe creek and soldiers attached to the Joint Force Operation in Foropa community, Ekeremor local government area with the wave of sea piracy, pipeline vandalism, kidnappings, among others.One of the incidents he met on arrival was the murder of four worshipers in a pentecostal church. The hoodlums stormed the church premises at about 11 pm, killed the worshipers and set a nearby house ablaze.However, with the command of the CP, the criminals were apprehended from their hideouts in the bush.
His secrets
CP Okoli has all the needed trainings on security in modern times; he is a versatile officer, highly trained with administrative acumen, a combatant imbued with dexterity to perform and execute assignments with precision.In his maiden press conference, he stated that the command would establish a special squad to promptly respond to violent crimes and social miscreants in the state.Consequently, he issued a warning that the command under his watch would develop new crime-fighting and prevention strategies to ensure safety of lives and property in the state with operational and crime-fighting outfits to be closely monitored in order to achieve the desired results.
Exploits
Within a few months in office, he has lived up to his words as criminalities have declined drastically.
Just recently, the police foiled a kidnap attempt of a youth corp medical doctor working at Odi General hospital, in Kolokuma/ Opokuma LGA. According to the commissioner, the foiled kidnap attempt was made possible by a police operative in charge of the anti-kidnapping unit.
“These sons of the devil planned to kidnap a corp member serving in their community by giving them medical services. The boys who planned the act know him very well as he has been rendering medical services to them. The foiled attempt was made possible by the operative of an anti-kidnapping unit.”Credible intelligence report reveals that some suspected kidnappers conspired among themselves, went to the doctors quarter on September 10, 2020 to kidnap him but met his absence.
“On 16 September 2020, at about 0300hours, the anti-kidnapping team, on my instruction, went to Odi town and arrested the suspects Sunny Ubaka ‘m’ 24 years, Inerepamo Ikati ‘m’ 21 years, Pereowei John ‘m’ 26 years Osamedike Daniel 23 years and Sambo Olawei 22 years.
He speaks
“When they got information that the corp member is from a wealthy family, they planned to pick him so that the family would pay the ransom; unfortunately, the day they went to kidnap him, the doctor was not in his quarters, so they retreated and started planning again but as they were planning, the information leaked to us, so we laid ambush for them. One of them was picked, he confessed and took the police operatives to the various homes of his group and they all confessed to the attempted kidnap.
“It is when you put criminals out of circulation legally that is when you begin to curtail crime and criminality out of the society.
“I promise to ensure the highest level of professionalism to fully fight criminalities, to secure the safety and lives of the good people of Bayelsa state including those residing and doing lawful business in the state.
“The command under my watch would be intelligence-driven and run an open door policy to receive credible and undiluted information that would lead to the detection of crime and nip it in the bud.
“Never under my watch would a suspect who has a clear case to answer would be allowed to go; we would charge and monitor it in the court to ensure successful prosecution of those criminals.”Since my arrival, it coincided with court vacation. By the time courts resume, you would see an avalanche of cases in the court.
“There is no society that is crime-free, but we would make sure that where crime happens, we would respond promptly and prosecute it in the court. We have employed a lot of strategies and it is yielding dividends,” he noted.
Challenges
Although the challenges that come with fighting crimes and criminalities are enormous, to CP Okoli, crime is in every sector.
“There is no organisation without challenge; therefore the police are no exception. I however know that the Inspector General of Police is doing his best to make sure that the problems are alleviated.”
As the police boss in the state, one expects him to command from the office rather than the field, but according to him, “It is my human nature and antecedent that has been my driving force in fighting crime. If you are a field officer, you will continue to be a field officer,” he said.
