Governor Wike’s Giant Strides On Security

Security in Rivers State has been a thorny issue since 2015 when the State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, assured office.
The security situation in the state was exacerbated by the closure of the courts and access to justice was denied as accused persons languished in police cells. The judiciary, as it were, ceased to be the last hope of the common man. A state of hopelessness confronted the incumbent governor.
He, however, acted with dispatch to restore hope to the people as he appointed the Acting Chief Judge of the state and that of the Customary Court of Appeal.
Consequently, lawyers who could not make a living as a result of the judicial imbroglio, were able to go back to work. Justice delivery was enhanced and police cells were decongested.
Wike bought operational vehicles for the police in spite of the fact that policing was a function of the Federal Government.
His donation of both vehicles and cash was a huge boost to the hitherto ebbing morale of the poorly equipped police force.
His effort ignited passion in the officers and men of the Nigeria Police serving in the state. But the threefold problem of cultism, armed robbery and kidnapping continued to stare the state in the face. These activities were more preponderant in the rural communities where security operatives were in short supply.
Police under the present administration in the state have maintained a high score card in the state capital. They frequently got hold criminals and paraded such before the media.
With Wike’s aggressive campaign against the threefold criminal activities, culprits were brought, while many gave up and embraced the warm hands of amnesty freely given by the state government.
In Ogbaland, late Don Wanney, the Iceland Confraternity kingpin had obviously turned himself to a monster and the entire Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State had become too small for his burgeoning army. Companies operating in the area could no longer have a respite. They literally paid taxes to Wanney. The height of late …criminal activities were killing more than 30 persons on a New Year day (2018).
Governor Wike was incensed by this outright disrespect for the Almighty God. Don Wanney was subsequently located in Enugu where he had gone into hiding after the massacre.
The killing of this king of the dark world and his younger brother, Obatosu among others, enabled peace to be restored in the area.
Today, there is peace in the area and everybody goes about his lawful businesses without molestation from any quarters, courtesy of the governor’s penachant for security.
As a lawyer, Governor Wike understands that security is basic for governance. Little wonder then he employs all the arsenals within his power to ensure the security of lives and properties within the state.
He has been in the forefront of the pacification of troubled communites in the hinterlands like Ibaa, Omudioga, Egbeda and Ubima
In 2018, a whopping sum of N22billion was budgeted for security. The aforementioned sum of money had drastically reduced crime in the state, kudos to the wisdom of His Excellency.
The Aluu cult supremacy, the Emohua Killings, Ubima kidnapping and cult problems have all been punctuated by the present administration.
The reduction in security vote in 2019 budget underscores the achievement the present administration in the state has recorded in recent times. In this year’s budget N18billion has been allocated to security.
The governor’s inclination for security is amply demonstrated in the passage into law of Neighbourhood safety Corps bills to augment the short supply of security operatives.
But the bane of the security outfit is the untoward suspicion of the Federal government and the branding of the outfit as militia.
Chief Wike deserves commendation for all the efforts put into security in the state. Today, there is obviously no gainsaying the fact that Port Harcourt metropolis is safe, no wonder businesses and scene night life are on the increase.
Many people believe that the check on the state’s Neighbourhood Corps is misplaced against the background that they do not carry guns.
According to impeccable sources, the Corps would have been a great boost to community policing vis-à-vis inadequate manpower in the Nigerian Police force.
Most importantly, the centrality of security in governance cannot be overemphasized.
In this light, we must give kudos to Governor Wike for the maintenance of peace in the State.

John Enyie