… Donates 20 vehicles to Army
… Army declares war on miscreants
From: TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has vowed that kidnappers and cultists caught in the state, would pay for their deeds, thus declaring that he would not rest till the state was rid of criminal elements.
Governor Wike stated this, on Thursday, in his remarks at the operationalisation ceremony of the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, where he donated 20 vehicles, which included 10 Hilux vans and 10 buses to the Nigerian Army.
According to the governor, “I will not look back in fighting kidnapping and cultism in the State. Anybody caught for kidnapping and cultism will pay for it”.
The governor commended the military for its role in nation building, assuring that the State would partner with Army and other security agencies in crime-fighting.
Wike had, earlier, when service chiefs paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House, Port Harcourt, called on the Nigeria Army to support the Police in tackling the rising wave of Kidnapping in the country, urging the Army to work with the police to fight cultism in the state.
He assured the Security agencies that his administration would continue to provide logistics and financial support for them to discharge their responsibilities.
The governor said: “I want to urge the Nigerian Army to support the police tackle kidnapping and enhance security.
“It is also necessary that you assist the police to weed out cultists as they are beginning to rear their ugly heads and trouble peace loving residents of the state”.
He said that the State has not witnessed any major vandalism of oil pipelines because of the security programmes being executed by the State Government.
The governor maintained that the State Governmemt would improve areas of partnership with the Nigerian Army for better security in the state.
Earlier in his remarks, the Minister of Defence, Mansur Mohammed Dan-Ali, commended Governor Wike for his support to the security agencies.
He assured that the Buhari’s administration would continue to invest in the improvement of security across the country.
The Minister of Defence noted that the investments in security had led to the reduction of crime in the Niger Delta.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has declared war on Niger Delta militants and other miscreants in the region, to improve and sustain the economy of the country.
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-General Tukur Buratai, stated this, on Thursday, in Port Harcourt.
Tukur said the Division was created by the Army Council for immediate response to security challenges like kidnapping, piracy and pipeline vandalism because of how germane Port Harcourt, and Niger Delta region in particular, is to nation’s economic growth.
Earlier in his welcome address, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 6 Division, Major-General Enobong Udoh, mentioned that the creation and operationalisation of the Division was a confirmation of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government’s commitment to improving security challenges in the Niger Delta region.
He acknowledged the immeasurable support Governor Wike had given to the Army in the fight against insecurity, also declaring that there was no hiding place for miscreants in the region.
Governors of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Delta states, in their goodwill messages, expressed optimism that the establishment of the Division would help in fighting oil theft, kidnapping, armed robbery and social vices in the region.