Rivers police command deploy operatives to UTME centers

The Rivers State Police Command has deployed police officers to the various Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) centers across the state to ensure seamless conduct of the exercise.

Spokesperson of the command, Blessing Agabe in a statement on Friday, said that the State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga  Adepoju, has ordered the strategic deployment of police personnel, operational assets, and intelligence resources to all approved Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres for the UTME examination.

The statement said the measure is in line with the directives of the inspector-general of police aimed at ensuring a safe, secure, and conducive environment for candidates, examination officials, and other stakeholders throughout the examination period.

According to the statement, all deployed personnel, in line with the operational order, have been mandated to maintain the highest level of professionalism, remain courteous yet firm in the discharge of their duties, and take decisive action against examination malpractice, disorderly conduct, or any form of security breach.

“Officers are also to work in close collaboration with relevant stakeholders to effectively secure examination centres, adjoining areas, and access routes.

“The command has also emplaced enhanced patrols, intelligence gathering, and traffic control measures around examination centres to ensure free movement and to forestall any security threats before, during, and after the examination”, the statement added.

It said the commissioner of police called on candidates, parents, guardians, and members of the public to cooperate fully with security personnel and adhere strictly to all examination guidelines to ensure a smooth and hitch-free exercise.

The command  equally warned that any individual or group found engaging in acts capable of undermining the integrity of the examination will be decisively dealt with in accordance with the law.

The statement assured that the command remains committed to the protection of lives and property and the sustenance of peace and security across the state, and therefore urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities through the command’s dedicated phone numbers.