Efio-Ita Nyok|25 July 2016|8:18AM
Sequel to its 22 July meeting the Cross River state chapter of a Niger Delta based civil society group, Partners for Peace (P4P) Network in the the Niger-Delta made a Press release that bordered on insecurity and poor infrastructure in the state capital especially and beyond.
Their press release made 9 suggestions amongst which was that the Executive Governor of Cross River State, Sen. Prof. Ben Ayade, should cut down on his numerous foreign travels, position non-uniform security personnel to gather intelligence on crime and crime related activities, aerial surveillance to the creeks and coastal communities, set up community policing, provide seed grants for business start ups, etc. Excerpt:
Concerned with the increasing crime rate and insecurity in Cross River State in the past 10 months, these recent happenings which has slipped through the length and breadth of the State.
These crime and insecurity wave have witnessed several dead of innocent people of all ages, over the past months, several children have been snatched from their parents, cultists have killed and terminated lives of young people on the streets of Calabar, communities in Yakurr, Abi and Obubra LGAs have been razed down due to communal violence conflicts, major road linking one of the above mentioned LGA to another and inter-state road have been blocked and innocent commuters murdered in broad day light.
We have read on pages of newspapers and listened to electronic media the number of people that have been kidnapped as well as armed robbery attacks and car snatching, etc but to mention a few.
As law abiding citizens we are deeply concerned about the rising crime wave across the state coupled with decaying infrastructures, for instance all the access road to the state capital are in very bad shape.
Similarly, if these two phenomena (rising crime wave and bad infrastructures) continue, we are afraid that it will drive away any would-be investors that the governor is on a monthly (if not on weekly) basis pursuing.
Our sincere suggestions are;
1. The governor should cut down on his foreign trips and other trips outside the State.
2. The state government should take a step further than the media services/parade with security vehicle and begin to position dedicated non-uniform security personnel to gather intelligence.
3. The state government should convene all inclusive participatory security stakeholders' meeting for deliberation of the best strategy of handling the security situation.
4. The crime spots in the state capital should be manned by non-uniform personnel.
5. Aerial surveillance should be deployed to the coastal communities and creeks which serve as criminal hideout especially for the kidnappers.
6. All hard drugs spots in the state capital and other locations around the state should be dismantled and dealers prosecuted.
7. The government should device a means of engaging unemployed youths with seed grants for business start-up.
8. The state and local governments should partner with P4P in setting mechanism for the commencement of Community Policing as P4P have members across the senatorial districts of Cross River State.
9. We the entire members of Partners for Peace (P4P) Network in the Niger-Delta Cross River State Chapter by this press release hereby declare its willingness to partner with the state government in curbing the rising crime wave.
We also urge all residents of Cross River State to be very vigilant and contribute to securing the state by knowing your neighbor/activities of your neighbor and reporting true incidents timely to appropriate security agencies.
Signed:
Comrade (Mrs) Okoho Umo
(Ag. State Coordinator)
Comrade Bassy Edem
(State Secretary)
Comrade Efiom Duke
(Member – Central Working Committee)