Ahead of tomorrow’s Presidential and National Assembly elections, Akoko-Edo Liaison Officer, Hon Jeffrey Obasanmi has called on security agencies and traditional rulers to find ways of securing the local government.
Addressing stakeholders in his office at the council Secretariat yesterday, Obasanmi noted that ‘a secured environment is a peaceful environment ‘ urging security chiefs and royal fathers to state their challenges with a view to proffering solutions.
In a related development, the liaison officer called on royal fathers to wade into the communal crises between Ibillo and Ekpesa communities towards a peaceful resolution.
On his part, the head of local government administration, Mr Dickson Ikhane Esq urged security agencies to be proactive in their efforts to secure the environment, noting that the DPO at Ibillo gave a good
account of himself during the Fulani incursion of the area sometime ago.
“Security is something I don’t play with because I was a victim on February 14, 2015 when I was held down around the Sasaro axis”.
The Holga asked the security personnel to make a formal request for all that they would require to enable the local council to do the needful before the general elections.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Olokpe of Okpe, Oba Okhishimede Eshimokhai, Gbugbulu Gbugbulu Idogun lll , commended the Superintendent of Narcotics, Gana Amos in his fight against drug addiction in the locality.
He noted that Superintendent Gana’s successes in Ugboshi-Afe, Ugboshi-Ele and Okpe were unprecedented and admonished him to beam his searchlights on Ojah community and its environs, to fish out youths who are involved in the social menace.
The Olokpe also expressed serious concerns about the growing notoriety of Sasaro in the issues of kidnapping. He stated that past council administrations summoned the Oba of the community to security meetings to fashion out ways to stem the ugly tide to no avail.
“It appears the Oba of Sasaro is untochable or above the law. The immediate past council boss, Hon Don Oteh Umoru now late, invited him severally with the hope of nipping these dastardly acts in the bud but all efforts proved abortive” the Oba noted.
Reacting to a statement credited to the Olokpe over the withdrawal of police personnel attached to Okpe duty post, the DPO of Igarra division, DSP Sweet Owei, said that the post is under his purview, positing that subject to official exigencies, officers and men could be withdrawn or reassigned even as he said status quo could remain if enough personnel are deployed.
Speaking on behalf security agencies in the area, Second lieutenant Eni Marga disclosed that the force would require operational vehicles during the general elections to fast track their assignment, explaining that the ones on ground are malfunctioning.
He urged the Liaison Officer to put royal fathers on notice on the need to profile people living in their respective communities with a view to assisting law enforcement officers in the task of dealing with miscreants.
Lieutenant Marga also called for concerted efforts to ensure that bandits in the area are decimated. He expressed very deep concerns that a greater percentage of the perpetrators are indigenes; a fact to which he said that many Obas cannot claim ignorance.
—By Our Correspondent
