The Commissioner of Police Eastern Port Command, James Caulcrick, has disclosed that his command lacks adequate arms and ammunitions to effectively police the port.
Caulcrick lodged this complaint to the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Maritime Command, Kalafite Adeyemi, when she visited the zone during an on an official visit on Tuesday.
The Commissioner told the AIG that the greater challenges facing the command are inadequate arms and ammunition for effective patrol and guard duties within the ports and its environs, lack of gunboats and patrol boats, as well as lack of personalized radio transmission network within the barracks.
He also mentioned shortage of operational vehicles, barracks accommodation for Port Police personnel and inadequate staffing of the Command.
However, the AIG had warned policemen on duty at various seaports in the country to ensure that no illegal weapons are shipped into the country as she declared her officers’ readiness to provide security along waterways during the forthcoming general elections scheduled for March 28th and April 11th 2015.
The police boss appealed to security operatives to ensure adequate security to avoid any loophole that could make importation of illegal firearms through the ports possible ahead of the rescheduled general elections.
“The importance of this visit cannot be complete without giving notice that no election can take place in the absence of viable service.
“The success of the 2015 general election rests on our shoulders in being vigilant. Therefore, all efforts should be geared towards avoiding criminal elements from using our ports to bring in weapons and dangerous materials for use to cause violence during the elections.
“We have been lecturing our men to be of good behaviour. They are going to perform well .We are ready for the elections. We are out to do our jobs and to be on steady patrol of the waterways.
“We have the capacity to face whatever challenges that may confront us. That is why I am on this tour because the Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abbah, asked me to go round and see how we can provide all those things before the time of election,” Adeyemi said while addressing Police operatives during the visit in Port Harcourt.
The AIG charged officers and men to be of good conduct during the forthcoming polls, reminding them that they were bound to provide security for the election.
The police boss expressed satisfaction with the cordial relationship existing between her men and Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) officials, even as she pledged to strengthen it to ensure the port environment was safe for business activities.
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