Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
In order to halt the incessant cases of kidnapping and violent armed robberies carried out with ease on the waterways of Edo State, Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has graciously approved a marine Police base for the state.
Commissioner of Police, Mr. Johnson Babatunde Kokumo, gave the hint last weekend, when the Chairman of Ovia South-West local government area, Comrade Destiny Enabulele, visited him in his office, to solicit for his help in boosting security in the local government area.
Enabulele who expressed discomfort with the situation, noted that the situation has been so bad that banks which formerly operated at Iguobazuwa, the administrative headquarters of the local government area, closed shops, due to incessant robbery attacks.
“We want to reside in that community. That was the matching order Governor Godwin Obaseki gave us, but we are affraid we could be kidnapped.
“We want to work, that is why we are here for you to assist us, by providing sustained and formidable presence of security operatives at Iguobazuwa. That will help to reawaken and grow economic activities of the local government that has gone comatose,” he said.
The Edo CP while responding, said: “Our statutory duty is to provide security for lives and properties. That, we will not fail to do. I want to assure you that we will do all within our capacity to ensure that businesses thrive in that local government.
“The problem we have there [Ovia South-West] is that, we have crime and criminals in land, we have crime and criminals in the waters.
“On my arrival here, I discovered that Edo State does not have Marine Police, and I considered that as not healthy enough. But am glad to tell you that the IGP has approved Marine Police for Edo State for the first time. It was just yesterday [last Thursday], that the approval from the Inspector-General arrived.
Babatunde who noted that Enabulele is the first local government Chairman in the State that has come to dialogue with him on the issue of security, disclosed that the Marine Police base would be at Gelegele, with other outposts along waterways and creeks in the State.
“The security of the waterways would be better than what it is now and I hope and believe strongly that Mr. Governor [Godwin Obaseki] will support us as he has always been doing,” he said
The CP who was full of admiration for the Ovia South-West Chairman over his passion to see a secure local government area, promised to deploy an armored personnel carrier that is undergoing refurbishment, to Iguobazuwa, to boost security in the area.
“He has the vision to turn the fortune of the local government area around. He expressed this the very first day we had contact. You have succeeded in calling our attention, this is a special request,” Kokumo said.