Cuito — The commander-general of the Angolan National Police (PN), Francisco Ribas da Silva, on Friday called for a strong commitment to community policing in the city of Cuito, Bié Province, with a view to enhancing public safety and security.
The commissioner-general was speaking during the ceremony marking the introduction of the new provincial commander for Bié, Commissioner João Cariqui.
According to the commander-general, the measure is intended to further safeguard social peace within communities and contribute to improving the quality of life of the population in this region of the country.
He said the task would require greater effectiveness and commitment from all police personnel.
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In this regard, he continued, every officer should become the most visible face of the National Police through street patrols and rapid response to incidents, with the aim of intervening in conflicts and protecting citizens.
To this end, he instructed the new Bié commander to apply greater rigour in continuing the work initiated by his predecessor, so that all citizens may benefit from public peace, security and tranquility.
He also warned that Bié Province, due to its particular characteristics and vast territorial extent, would require a leadership that is present and capable of acting proactively, as citizens expect a command structure that remains attentive to developments on the ground.
As such, he said, the maintenance of public security should be based primarily on the continuous monitoring of social and criminal trends, with particular attention given to combating the destruction of public property, the illegal exploitation of strategic minerals, fuel smuggling and related offences.
In this context, he recommended the adoption of new measures aimed at discouraging the murder of motorcycle taxi operators and other crimes motivated by beliefs in witchcraft.
Speaking on the occasion, Bié Governor Celeste Adolfo urged the new commander to conduct a thorough assessment of the various criminal challenges still facing the province, including homicides, motorcycle thefts and other crimes that have been committed in broad daylight.
The governor reaffirmed the readiness of local authorities to cooperate with defence and security bodies in safeguarding social peace throughout the province, in order to provide effective responses to major events, particularly the organisation and security of the 2027 general elections.
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João Cariqui, who will also serve as Interior delegate for Bié Province, replaces Commissioner António Conceição do Rosário Neto, who had held the post since May 2025.
Until his appointment, João Cariqui served as Interior delegate and National Police commander for Malanje Province.
During the ceremony, Chief Superintendent Victória Laura Oliveira Augusto was also introduced as the province's deputy commander.
