From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
BARELY one week after operatives of the Operatives of Safe Delta sent warning signals to rampaging militants in the Niger Delta region, there are indications that another contingent of the army have arrived the region.
Security challenge has become worrisome in the region which is the nation’s economic backbone especially the resurgence of militancy manifesting in attacks on oil installations, significantly reducing the nation’s oil production.
But the security challenge may become a thing of the past if the presence of the military and other security agencies is anything to go by.
Speaking during a courtesy call on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State in Asaba, the Commandant, 4th Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Brig. Gen. Banbella Raji said security forces were ready to check activities of militants.
Besides, Brig. Gen. Raji said activities of pipeline vandals, kidnappers and other criminals would be checked, and commended the Okowa-led administration for supporting security agencies which has led to improvement in the socio-economic life of Deltans.
Receiving his visitors, Governor Okowa observed that sharing of information between security agencies operating in the state has started yielding results in checking security challenges,that the synergy between the agencies have ensured successes in crime prevention in the state.
“I have always called for collaborative efforts between security agencies operating in the state and I am happy to say that the collaboration, especially in the area of sharing of information is working to the benefits of the agencies and the people of the state.
“Pipeline vandalism affected us so much that what we currently receives is below 20 per cent of what the state received two years ago,” he told his visitors.
Governor Okowa disclosed that apart from pipeline vandalism, the state was also facing the challenges of herdsmen clashing with farmers and some Fulani men posing as herdsmen to kidnap people.
He commended the army for collaborating with the police in checking some criminal activities which ordinarily were within the purview of the police, asserting, “we hope that the peace we enjoy now will be sustained, it is our hope that the security operatives remain proactive.
“As a state, we will continue to support the operations of the Army and other security operatives to enable them carry out their functions in the state.”