Cross River Police Commissioner Lists Achievements Since Assumption Of Office, Seeks Cooperation Against Crime

Cross River Police Commissioner Lists Achievements Since Assumption Of Office, Seeks Cooperation Against Crime

By Uket Oka, Calabar

The Commissioner of Police, Cross River State Police Command, CP Rashid Afegbua has stated that his approach to policing the State is anchored on three core principles of visible presence, intelligence-led operations, and partnership-driven policing.

Afegbua made this known on Thursday in his office, in Calabar , the State capital, during his maiden press briefing since assumption of duties in the State on July 7, 2025.

“My approach to policing this State had been guided by three core principles: visible presence, intelligence-led operations, and partnership-driven policing,” the CP said.

He also explained that the command has been collaborating to create a safe, stable, and law-abiding Cross River where criminal elements are denied the space to operate, and citizens feel protected, not just policed.

Afegbua added that to achieve its set goal, the command has to ensure disrupted criminal networks through targeted intelligence-led operations, increased police presence and response capacity in urban, rural, and border communities via visibility policing, restore trust and accountability in police-community relations and strengthened inter-agency collaboration to ensure coordinated security efforts.

On operational priorities, the Commissioner of Police said: “Our immediate focus was on: Murder, Armed robbery, kidnapping, and cultism as identified in hotspots, Securing rural communities, particularly those vulnerable to communal conflict. Protecting schools, markets, and key state assets. Reducing internal misconduct by enforcing discipline and public accountability.”

Afegbua explained that since assumption of office, the command has charged 147 cases to court, out which 35 cases had been conclusively prosecuted.

He added that nine cases recorded conviction, while 113 cases are pending in various courts in the State and no cases of were either discharged or on appeal.

The CP further stated that “60 cases were transmitted to the Director of Public Prosecution (D.P.P), where the remaining 53 are pending at Federal High Court, High Court and Magistrate court for trial.”

He commeded the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun for finding him worthy to be posted to Cross River State and the State Governor, Prince Bassey Otu, for his immeasurable support and commitment to the Command since his assumption of office.

“Let me take this opportunity to express my profound gratitude to the Inspector General of Police IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun Ph.D., NPM for finding me worthy to be posted as the Commissioner of Police Cross River State. I also thank the Governor of Cross River State His Excellency, Apostle Senator Prince Bassey Edet Otu, for his immeasurable support and commitment to the Nigeria Police Force in the state since my assumption of office.
“While we remain committed to our mandate of ensuring peace and security, we appeal to members of the public and the press to continue to support our efforts by providing genuine and timely information.

“Policing is a shared responsibility, and we cannot be everywhere at once. Your cooperation is critical to our success, especially as we prepare for Carnival Calabar and Festival Event for 2025,” the Police Commissioner said.