Ben Dunno, Warri
A group, the Warri Urban Security Network (WUSN), has urged the various security agencies, especially the Delta State Police Command to devise a more proactive security tactics that would checkmate the rising crime waves, in Warri, Effurun and its environs.
Making this call in a statement made available to newsmen in Warri, on Sunday, the group decried the spate of senseless killings over superiority by youths loyal to PDP and opposition APC in Uvwie council area, which had claimed more than 12 lives in Effurun and neighboring Ekpan community in the last two weeks.
Specifically reacting to last Friday’s incident in which the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Youth Development to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was shot dead, at Ekpan, the body noted that such death would have been avoided if security agencies had lived up to expectations.
In the statement signed by Chief Alfred Akabueze and Mr. Harrison Odjegba, the Chairman and Secretary, respectively, the group described the raids of identified criminal hideout carried out regularly by the former DPO ‘B Division’ in Warri now at Eburumede, CSP Anietie Eyoh, as very effective.
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According to the group, “During this period the rate of crime in the Warri area and surrounding communities dropped drastically, as the criminals who had gathered to plot their next operations were usually caught unaware by the raid and in most cases those operations were aborted”.
“We know how many cases of kidnapping and robbery the police were able to pre- empt or resolved during those periods, as some suspects caught during the raids later admits to belong to one gang or the other still plotting an operation or involved in ones committed previously”, it stated.
It would be recalled that the political crisis rocking Effurun in Uvwie Local Government Area, had extended to Ekpan community on Friday night when unknown gunmen shot dead Hon. Ngozi Lawrence Ijei, a PDP Chieftain and an aide of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.
The deceased popularly known as Ngozi, was reportedly accosted in his Toyata Camry (Metalic Grey) with Registration number; EFR 965 SN in company of a female partner along the Refinery road at about 11:00pm, when he was shot at a close range.
While the fate of the female partner (Identity yet unknown) who was reported to have sustained bullet injuries during the attack could not be ascertained as at the time of filing this report, the body of the deceased had since being deposited at the Warri Central hospital.
It was gathered that the deceased, a formidable member of PDP in Uvwie Council area, was reportedly ambushed by his suspected killers while returning from an outing.
He was reportedly shot at a close range by his assailants about six in number, who also confirmed him dead before leaving the scene.
Daily Sun also gathered that the assailants made away some reasonable amount of money kept in the deceased pigeon hole suspected to have been used for logistics during the election.
Source hinted that the deceased was in possession of a large sum of money for elections ‘mobilizations’ when the hoodlums ambushed and shot him repeatedly on the cheat and head.
When contacted, the acting Delta State Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO), ASP Chuks Orisezie said he was yet to be briefed on the incident and so cannot speak on the incident until he verify what happened.
In a swift reaction to the incident, Delta State Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has condemned in strong terms the killing of his aide, Lawrence Ngozi Ijei by suspected assailants on Friday.
Governor Okowa in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Charles Aniagwu on Saturday in Asaba said the Governor was deeply saddened by the untimely death of his aide who was killed by yet to be identified gunmen in Uvwie local government area of the state.
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“On behalf of the government and people of Delta State, I mourn the death of Mr Lawrence Ngozi Ijei, who was my aide until his untimely demise. I condole with his wife and family and urge security agencies to investigate the unfortunate incidence with a view to bringing the perpetrators to justice.
“We have alerted the security agencies of some disturbing security situation in parts of the state and wonder what they are doing because these information have been available to them”.
“We urge Deltans to remain peaceful and maintain the existing peace we have built in the last three and half years,” he added.
Governor Okowa called on the security agencies to dig deep into the unfortunate incident with a view to apprehending those behind the action.