By Christopher Oji
The Conscience of Ogoni People (COOP)has commended the Inspector–General of Police for his landmark achivements in the fight against crime .
The group specifically thank the IGP Intelligence Response Team (IRT) for rescuing wife of their leader/Spokesman from the hands of kidnapppers who abducted her .
The group also hailed the timely prosecution of the criminal elements.
In a letter of appreciation to the IGP, signed by COOP leader/Spokesman, Chief Gani Topba, it stated that :”We bring you greetings from the generality of the Ogoni people of the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.
The COOP – formerly known as Ken Saro Wiwa Associates) is an organization committed to the resolution of the decades of stalemate between the Ogoni people and the Federal Government of Nigeria over social, economic and environmental injustice which till date have generated a lot of international concerns, leading to the shut-in of oil and gas operations in Ogoniland for upwards of 26 years since the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) was declared persona non grata in 1993.
“We write, most respectfully, to express our heartfelt appreciation for the rapid intervention and effort of the men of the Intelligence Response Team under the leadership of DCP Abba Kyari which ensured the apprehension of the kidnappers who kidnapped the wife of the Leader/Spokesman of the COOP, Mrs Gift Gani Topba, on 25th August 2020. we are particularly satisfied by the fact that the criminal elements have been arraigned in court and are currently being remanded. This is a testament that the Nigeria Police Force under your watch is working assiduously and living up to its constitutional mandate of ensuring the security of lives and property of Nigerians.
“We specially commend your men for the enormous sacrifices they are making daily to maintain peace and security in the country and at most times at huge costs to their lives. We wish to place on record that it was the prompt response of the Nigeria Police Force in collaboration with other sister security agencies, that led to the successful dislodgement of the criminal elements that held Ogoniland under siege for the greater part of 2019 and 2020. It is in the public domain that the activities of cultists, kidnappers, assassins, armed robbers and other dreaded criminals occasioned the sack of very many communities in Ogoniland. “However, your men rose to the challenge and we can now say that peace has returned to these communities while displaced populations have returned to their various homes.
“In view of these lofty achievements, we hereby pass a vote of confidence on your leadership of the Nigeria Police Force and urge you and your officers and men to continue in this stead. It is our earnest prayer that the Almighty God will grant you the grace, wisdom and foresight to record many more landmark achievements in your core constitutional mandates of protection of lives and property as well as maintenance of law and order in every part of the country.
“On our part, we promise to support and partner with your men to stamp out all criminal elements in Ogoniland no matter how highly placed. We trust your capacity to ensure peace, order and security of Ogoniland.Please, accept the assurances of our esteemed regards
