In order to find lasting solution to the increasing crime rate in Bonny, the Bonny Women Forum (BWF) and the Nigerian Army (NA) have concluded plans to synergize against crime and violence against women in Bonny Kingdom.
This was part of the agreements reached when a the Woman Leader of Bonny Kingdom, Amaopuorubo Helen Jack-Wilson Pepple led delegation of the BWF on a courtesy call to the Commanding Officer of the 146 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Lt.Col. Andrew Wuyep in Bonny recently.
Pepple said that that the idea was born out of the need to tackle the growing crime rate and violence against women in Bonny Kingdom.
She noted that the women were prepared to fulfill their part  of the  partnership  not only with the Nigerian Army, but with other   security agencies in Bonny LGA .
Some of the crime she listed bedeviling the area include, cultism, drug use and abuse, teenage pregnancies, gender-related violence, sea piracy among others.
“We are going round the security agencies within the island because as mothers we have some concerns that are really eating us up and we know that anything we have to do must be legit. And we know you will grant us a listening ear as fathers and those who have come to operate in Bonny, who want to operate in a peaceful environment.”
“We want to thank you first for the good work you are doing. I usually see your patrol vans minutes after any incident on the island; that is to show that you people are really working. So, thank you for the good work you are doing”, she said.
The BWF leader, also considered their handicap in fighting crime alone as another reason of the military partnership and the need to chart a new course.
Expressing  positive outcome of the synergy, she also appealed with the security agencies to be forthcoming in their response to the moves by the women.
In his response, the Commanding Officer of the 146 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Lt.Col. Wuyep, who bought the idea, said that they were prepared to to work with relevant stakeholders in the area in an attempt to achieve relative peace in the Island.
“ It is a welcome development as the security agencies in the LGA are  already positively disposed to engaging with relevant stakeholders in their efforts at assuring security in the area”, he said.
The Officer, enumerated the various successes the Nigerian Army and the joint security services in the area had achieved in the fight against crime and social vices and  assured that the trend would be sustained, especially as the yuletide season sets in.
“First and foremost, thank you very much for this visit. You are our mothers, and thank God for how you narrowed down the scope of issues. As regarding drugs and cultism, we’re partnering with the NDLEA, and each time we make arrests with respect to drug related matters, we call them. We have been working with the police and we refer criminal matters to them to prosecute in the court”, he said.
On the issue of sea piracy, he pointed out that the Army carried out night  and day patrols in collaboration with the Nigerian Navy to ensure that piracy was brought to a halt in Bonny.
“As regards these areas that you have highlighted, I assure you that you will see our action. We are hoping that Bonny will be more beautiful. We will not take things for granted, we will not do sentiments; we will continue to do things from a very professional point of view”, he said.
Meanwhile, he has reassured the group of their support, and said that such target was possible via God’s grace and favour as they were only viable to work as military personnel.

By: King Onunwor