Making Security Vote Count

Penultimate Monday, commercial drivers that ply Port Harcourt to Degema/Abonnema and Buguma at the Abali Park in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area and Choba Park in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, made  good their threat to mobilize non-violent action against the incessant crime and criminality on the Emohua-Kalabari-Degema Road. The drivers’ action which started at the early hours of that day simultaneously in the parks,  stalled movement from Port Harcourt to communities in Degema, Asari Toru, and Akuku Toru Local Government Areas linked by the road.  Residents of communities in the three local government areas who were to travel to Port Harcourt that day were also not fortunate enough as they were caught in the protest with no vehicles to convey them.
Some commercial drivers who wanted.to undermine the protest by returning to the road had their vehicles stopped and passengers told to disembark. The loss of man-hours, the affront on the sensibility of innocent passengers and agony of unfulfilled tasks and personal appointment would have been averted if the clarion calls for security on that road were heeded.  People have always expressed fears about the absence of  security on the Emohua-Kalabari Road so much so that drivers at Port Harcourt, Choba, Abonnema and Buguma parks dread to ply the road late evening, unlike the past when the road was always busy, sometimes till the next day, especially on a weekend of beehive of activities.
The danger of the apparent  absence of adequate security on that road portends on the users of the road, was dispassionately articulated.The drivers protest to drive home their grievances on the refusal of relevant authorities to provide  adequate security on the Emohua-Kalabari Road, seem to.lend support to the saying that “Protest incite response”. The Emohua-Kalabari Road is the most valuable road that links several communities in the Degema, Asari Toru and Akuku Toru Local Government Areas. Unfortunately, a day hardly passed without a report of one crime or the other ranging from,  kidnapping, robbery and other acts of criminality on that road.  Criminal activities on the road has risen like a Phoenix. The section of the road where the nefarious acts were carried out is tagged the dreaded “Sambissa Forest”.
Drivers and Passengers and other users of the road are petrified with fear when approaching the area which comuters believe is the operational base, hideout and escape route of the criminals. Some stakeholders have speculated  that if nothing was done to nip the ugly incident in the board because the “common” people are those primarily affected, the situation will degenerate to a point where the high profile in society would be victims. Today, this apprehension is not a baseless fear or delusions but a reality and confirmed.   It is instructive to state that the several cases of human rights abuses were easily carried out with impunity because those who were supposed to provide security were not alive to their constitutional and statutory responsibility.
It is not saying a new thing that Security of lives and property is the primary responsibility of Government at all levels. Where a government failed to serve the interest of the people in the most vital and critical area of their interest, such Government, no matter its claims has lost its relevance and credibility.
Local Government Chairmen are Chief Security Officers of their domain. Though they have no control over the security agencies in their domain, they head the Local Government Security Council which consists of all security agencies that operate in the Local Government Area. The law recognises Local Government Chairmen as chiefs of security hence  they are entitled to unaccountable monthly security vote.
The Emohua-Kalabari Road, covers  four Local Government Areas namely: Emohua, Degema, Asari Toru and Akuku Toru. These four chairmen should be able to liaise with security agencies on how to end the ugly situation. The chairmen of Degema, Asari Toru and Akuku Toru Local Government Areas in particular, whose people are worst affected by the activities of those hoodlums should step up efforts to end intimidations and inhumane treatment meted on their people. The chairmen should be reminded that they are stewards, holding the resources of their people in trust. And without mincing words, are accountable to the people of their Local Government Areas.
Every government derives its legitimacy from the people, no sacrifice is therefore, too much  to end the menace on that road which is the only major access of the people of the three local government areas to and from Port Harcourt and beyond. The Local Government Chairmen may be   doing their best but their best is not good enough to restore the much desired sanity on that road. They should create the enabling environment for the security operatives to patrol the stretch of the road, establish their presence at strategic places on the road as to ward off the invasion of the bad boys and girls.
Obuama, a community on the road in Degema Local Government Area, is headquarters of 103 Battalion of Operation Delta Safe. The three local government areas chairmen can leverage on the presence of soldiers in Abonnema, Buguma, Tema Junction and Obuama to midwife their support to end this embarrassment.  Where the police is ill-equipped, to contain the marauders, the services of the soldiers can be solicited and enlisted. But the chairmen of the Local Government Areas should be disposed to open hand and justify the expenditure of their security votes to protect the lives and property of their people.
It is also necessary to say that security of lives and property is the collective responsibility of all stakeholders. Security operatives have always said those who terrorize society live with the people, so they can be identified. Residents of the areas and neighbouring local government areas should report all suspicious and sinister activities in their area to law enforcement agencies.  No crime syndicate or group can overwhelm the force of determined Government and  the people. Only a strong will andsynergy are sine qua non for peace on Emohua-Degema-Abonnema-Buguma Road.

By: Igbiki Benibo