Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri has expressed concern over the increasing proliferation of arms and the attendant worsening insecurity in all parts of the country.
Governor Diri spoke at the weekend when the Theatre Commander of Operation Restore Peace in the South-South, Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG Moses Jituboh, led a delegation of other senior officers to pay him a courtesy visit in Government House, Yenagoa.
Represented by his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the governor called on the Federal Government to adopt a holistic approach in the fight against insecurity in the country, particularly in the North.
He noted that, although peace and security is threatened in all geopolitical zones of the country, special attention must be given to the Northern region in tackling the issues of porous borders, alleged influx of foreign herders and the unabating farmers-herders clashes.
While expressing gratitude to the Nigeria Police and other securty agencies for their various roles in ensuring peace in the state, Governor Diri, however, called on them to intensify their efforts at mopping up dangerous weapons from wrong hands.
He also urged all tiers of government to embrace justice and equity in their policies and programmes to engender peace and security in the country.
According to the Bayelsa State Chief Executive, security occupies a pride of place in his administration’s agenda and would be given all necessary support to keep the state safe.
Governor Diri, who described the DIG’s visit as homecoming, congratulated him on his recent appointment and prayed God to enable him climb to peak of his career.
“We are happy with the Operation Restore Peace the police have come to flag off here. But the truth is that, there is no part of this country that needs the restoration of peace more than the North East and North West”, he said.
“If peace is experienced in the South- South and there is no peace in North East and North West, we will not be able to guarantee peace in this country. There will be a spill over. The arms that are being circulated, we don’t know where they are coming from. So, we want to request that this same effort you are making here should go round the country, so that there will be peace everywhere in the country”, he added.
“We will be happier if the entire country is peaceful rather than having peace only in our State. So, we want to use this opportunity to call on the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and the police to do something about what is happening in the North”, the governor said.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa