Insecurity: Oyigbo Residents Seek Military Intervention

Residents of Afam, the commercial hub of Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State have lamented an increase in crime in the area, and called on the Nigerian military to be more proactive in bringing the situation under control.
The call was coming in reaction to kidnapping incidents, series of armed robbery and cult-related activities which had rocked the area in recent time.
The Tide gathered that a woman identified as Mrs. Patricia Wariso, a Matron with the Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMSH), Port Harcourt and sister-in-law of a retired senior Customs officer, Senibo Iwarimie Ekenta Pepple who was shot during one of the operations of the hoodlum in the area later last month at his residence was reportedly whisked away by some kidnappers at old market road along ever busy Afam-Oyigbo road in the early hours of Thursday.
A source within the area said Patricia’s abduction was more like a drama to the residents until it turned out to be real.
The source said “Okoloma-Afam is of recent becoming something else.
According to the source, “the way that woman was kidnapped here that early hours of Thursday after they succeeded shooting the late Senibo Iwarimie Pepple who died hours after at the hospital due to bleeding has left me with panting heart-if the military operatives were much responsive, they would have gotten the kidnappers immediately because the road is not the best one can speed on. They were five in number with a Siena car. They bundled her in around Old Market road and took off without any confrontation by the security agents”.
Also lamenting, a resident at the Plant road axis of the area, Mr. Chidibiere Ugorji, said the security situation of the area was porous as residents now retired to their homes earlier than usual.
As he put it, “here in Okoloma-Afam axis of Oyigbo Local Government Area our lives and property are now at the mercy of armed robbers and cult boys.
He maintained that, just last Friday night, areas like Mirnwanji, Ogboso, Obeama and some parts of Izuoma and Kom-kom are no go area as residents are being robbed simultaneously without any immediate reaction by security operatives or the vigilante around these areas.