THE State Police Command has debunked reports making the rounds on social media that the state was littered with dead bodies.
The state Commissioner of Police, Effiong Okon, described the claims as mischievous, adding that they are efforts of some misguided and ill-intentioned individuals who have the pernicious ambition of detracting the state command from its onerous task of ensuring public peace, safety and protection.
In a statement signed by the spokesperson of the Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, the CP said the reports making the round are baseless, and should be discountenanced. He urged the journalists in the state to be circumspect and professional in the discharge of their duties in order not to cause unnecessary panic in the minds of members of the public.
Okon stated that on Tuesday, December 13, an unidentified female corpse was reported to be lying along Njemanze by the Hospital management board building in Port-Harcourt but was immediately removed and deposited in the mortuary.
He said, “The attention of the Rivers State Police Command has been drawn to some mischievous publications on some social media platforms that the streets of Port Harcourt are littered with corpses.
“The command wishes to note that these noxious publications are spurious, and are efforts of some misguided and ill-intentioned individuals who have the pernicious ambition of detracting it from its onerous task of ensuring public peace, safety and protection.”
“For the purpose of setting the records straight, it is imperative to inform the public that on December 13th, 2022, a yet-to-be identified female corpse was reported to be lying along Njemanze by the Hospital management board building in Port -Harcourt.
“Consequently, in a swift response, the Police authority working in concert with Port-Harcourt city health officials, immediately evacuated the corpse to ensure public health and safety.
“It is thus disheartening that some media persons have chosen to escalate the isolated incident and spread panic in the minds of the good people of Rivers State. The reports are baseless, and should be discountenanced,” the CP stated.
He, however, assured residents that the state is safe, and urged every patriotic person to peacefully conduct their businesses without fear during the yuletide.
