Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has advised the Police to concentrate on their constitutional responsibility of providing security.
Speaking at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Friday when he granted audience to Mr Zaki Ahmed, the New Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Governor Wike regretted that the Nigerian Police has metamorphosed into a political party.
He said because of political considerations, the Nigerian Police sabotaged the Rivers State Amnesty Programme.
The governor said that the politicisation of Police operations in the state has been counterproductive in several respects.
He said: “The Police instead of fighting crime has constituted itself into a political party. Everything for the police must be considered from a political viewpoint .
“Allow politicians to play politics. Simply do security work. A state like Rivers is key to Nigeria. Our national assets are here and that is why we always support security agencies “, he said.
The governor said that the police have not reciprocated the investments made by his administration in their operations. He noted that over 150 patrol vans have been handed over to the police since he assumed leadership.
He added that funds made available to the Police for communication gadgets in all 23 Local Government Areas and purchase of bullet proof vests, were not used by the force.
He called on the police to be professional in the discharge of their duties, assuring that he will continue to support them.
Earlier, the new Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Zaki Ahmed appealed to the Rivers State Governor to support the police with logistics.
He assured the governor that he will discharge his duties professionally.