Niger Delta

CP Lauds Hunters, Vigilante Groups Over Crime Reduction

Published

10 years ago

January 20, 2016

The Edo Commissioner of
Police (CP), Mr Chris Ezike, said that hunters and vigilante groups were instrumental to the great successes recorded by the command in crime reduction in 2015.
Ezike, who made the remark in an interview with newsmen in Benin, described them as “critical stakeholders in community policing.’’
The CP said that upon his assumption of office, he quickly identified the need to adopt a strategy that would assist the command in fighting crime in the state.
“Our acts, which shifted from arms and ammunition to community-based policing, assisted a lot to bring a reduction in criminal activities since my assumption of office.
“My interaction with community leaders in the 18 Local Government Areas of the state brought a synergy between the command and the communities, where everybody now see themselves as stakeholders in the act of policing.
“Ours was to make the environment better, provide the needed fire power and provide the support to encourage the people to provide the vital information that led to the activation of our strategy and success was the result.
“We identified the hunters and the vigilance groups and encouraged the Enogies to help us reach out to the people in the areas for information.
“We also identified the problem of pressure points and then deployed specifically to get specific results. We identified the bye-pass to have acquired a notorious status and we deployed 13 strategic intervention vehicles that it became difficult for the hoodlums to operate with impunity.
“Our success at Igarra was the icing on the cake with a quantum of arms that came off the hoodlums and the non-explosive devices that came out of the arsenal of the hoodlums accounted for the calm witnessed during the yuletide in Edo North,’’ he said.
According to him, “the statistics will come out later. But I want to say that the success was robust and all thanks to the overwhelming and robust media and public support.’’
“There is an ongoing five-day training for vigilance groups, to help them develop the mechanism of safety and security and respect for human rights in their quest to assist the police to fight crime,’’ he said.
On the alleged involvement of police officers in cultism, the CP disclosed that several police officers were under investigation over their alleged involvement in cult-related activities in the state.
He said: “a lot of officers are under investigation based on suspicion. But you know that suspicion, no matter the quantum, cannot be used against anybody, except we are able to establish a case against them.
“But I can tell you that since these people now know that they are being watched, there is a renewed effort among officers and men of the command towards duty, knowing that they can be moved or sanctioned when found guilty.
“Previously, there was this lackadaisical attitude that tended to give some of the officers out as sympathizers of cult groups.
“But as I speak, everybody is on his or her toes, knowing that what applies to the cultist will apply to any one caught,’’ he added.

L-R: Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Dr Austin Tam-George, Chairman, Federated Chapel, Nigeria of Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State, Mr Ernest Chinwo and Director, Public Enlightenment, Ministry of Information, Pastor Paulinus Nsirim, during the Commissioner’s courtesy visit to the chapel in Port Harcourt, recently. Photo: Egberi A. Sampson

Niger Delta

CSOs, Bille Community Urge Solution To Persistent Underwater Gas Eruption

Published

6 hours ago

April 10, 2026

The Tide

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the people of Bille Kingdom in Degema Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State have called for government’s urgent intervention to end the suspected underwater gas eruption in the community.

The groups, under the aegis of the Environmental Rights Action and Social Action, made the call during their advocacy visit to the Port Harcourt Zonal Head of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), in Port Harcourt.

The Programme Manager of Environmental Rights Action, Mr. Kentebe Ebiaridor, said the visit was to seek clarity on the response efforts of the regulators to the development in the community.

Ebiaridor expressed concern over what he described as “inadequate response from regulatory agencies and the government concerning the incident”.

He said discussions with some officials revealed that there was still no clear timeline for action to address the situation.

According to him, in the absence of clear ownership of the facility linked to the incident, companies operating within Oil Mining Lease (OML) 18 should be held accountable.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) had in a statement issued on March 20 by its Chief Executive, Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, said the commission had commenced an investigation into a gas bubbling incident in Bille Community.

Eyesan said the commission expressed concern over the development and assured residents of its ongoing efforts to address the situation.

Also, the Resource Justice Manager of Social Action, Dr. Prince Edegbuo, warned that the situation could escalate into a public health emergency, if urgent steps were not taken.

Edegbuo called on relevant authorities to release the results of the tests reportedly conducted in the area, stressing that residents had the right to know the condition of their environment.

He also said CSOs were prepared to intensify advocacy on the matter, urging the development of emergency response measures, including possible evacuation plans.

A legal practitioner and community stakeholder, Mr. Commission Deinbo, had, on March 20, said residents had continued to witness unusual signs on the waterways in the area.

Deinbo said the signs included boiling and bubbling from the ground and river, sometimes within residential areas, as well as fire outbreaks, which the residents had always managed to contain.

He appealed to relevant authorities to come to their aid and find a lasting solution to the problem.

In a response, the Port Harcourt Zonal Head of NOSDRA, Mr. Bello Augustin, assured the community that he would relate its concerns to the appropriate quarters.

Augustin also commended the CSOs for their advocacy and concerns to community development in the state.

By: Wokoma Emmanuel & Theresa Frederick

Niger Delta

Police Detain 7, Recover Arms In A’Ibom

Published

10 hours ago

April 10, 2026

The Tide

The Police Command in Akwa Ibom State has detained seven suspects and recovered firearms after raiding a criminal hideout in Ndiya Mfia, Ikono Local Government Area.of the State.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, made the disclosure in a statement in Uyo on Wednesday.

John said that the breakthrough which occurred at about 6.00a.m on Wednesday, followed credible intelligence from members of the public.

“We reliably gathered that criminal suspects were hibernating in a compound disguised as worshippers.

“In a decisive operation, our personnel conducted a thorough search of the premises which led to the detention and recovery of arms,” she said.

According to her, the operation was in line with the directive of the Inspector-General of Police to decisively combat crime in the country.

The police spokesman further said that two locally made double-barrel guns, five expended cartridges, four motorcycles and three generators were recovered during the operation.

She also listed 10 mobile phones, one police crest, four jungle boots, one peak cap, saw blade, spanner, number plates, machetes, a special force vest as other items recovered.

“We also found bottles of suspected spiritual oil and one enlarged photograph linked to an ongoing investigation,” she said.

John said that preliminary investigation suggested that the location was being used as cover for criminal operations.

She said the State’s Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Azare, has directed a comprehensive investigation on the matter in order to apprehend the principal suspect.

John expressed the commitment of the Command to rid the state of crime, and urged members of the public to always support the police with timely and credible information.

Niger Delta

Otu Launches Grassroot Security Network In C’River

Published

11 hours ago

April 10, 2026

The Tide

Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, has launched a grassroots security intelligence network, named, ”Homeland Safety and Security Agency,” to strengthen community-based surveillance and enhance safety across the state.

Otu, who inaugurated the agency’s office in the Southern Senatorial District of the state on Monday, in Calabar, said similar offices were being inaugurated in the Central and Northern Senatorial Districts.

The Governor, represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Emmanuel Ironbar, said the officials of the agency would serve as first point of call before matters would be escalated to main security architecture in the state.

He described Homeland Security as an intelligence-driven structure focused on neighbourhood monitoring and early threat detection through coordinated local efforts.

He said the initiative constituted the directors and field operatives, tasked with gathering and forwarding intelligence to relevant security agencies for prompt action.

Otu noted that the network would serve as a first point of contact before intervention by conventional security agencies.

“It is important that we enhance monitoring of movements across our communities, border areas, and riverine zones to identify suspicious activities and enhance security response.

“The state government will provide necessary gadgets and communication tools to improve efficiency and real-time intelligence sharing,” he said.

Otu called for public cooperation, stressing that ‘’security is a collective responsibility requiring timely information from residents.’’

He said, ‘’to ensure that the security outfit works like a model unit, proper screening would be conducted on the volunteers to weed out undesirable elements from the system.’’

The Tide’s source reports that the Governor handed over 14 motor bikes to the agency’s southern Senatorial district office to enhance their efficiency.

On his part, the Director-General, South of the agency, Mr. Michael Nsan, said the volunteers had played key roles in reducing crime through coordinated patrols and intelligence sharing.

Nsan said over 1,300 volunteers currently supported the operations with additional informants providing critical information across communities.

“Crime rates dropped significantly during the last festive period due to our collaboration with law enforcement agencies in the state,” he said.

The Director-General said volunteers would undergo training and screening, with plans underway for formal recruitment through a government employment portal.

According to him, communication tools, including walkie-talkies, and patrol motorcycles had improved rapid response to security incidents.

He commended the governor’s commitment, noting that the initiative would further strengthen security architecture and community safety across the state.

The source reports that some of the dignitaries who graced the occasion were traditional rulers and government officials.