The Governor of Cross River State, Senator (Prince) Bassey Edet Otu appears to have found the magic wand needed to address the grossly deteriorating security challenges in Akpabuyo and Bakassi Local Government Areas that obviously had defied previous security measures.
The reason for the grand security success is obvious, the retired General and his crack team have put their hands on the plow and can’t look back any longer and the hoodlums are on the receiving end of the heat. For sure, security issues must get upbeat across the State.
Before the current onslaught, Akpabuyo/ Bakassi enjoyed the notoriety of heightened insecurity such as kidnapping, gangsterism, cultism, robbery, and even banditry.
The activities of these hoodlums have destroyed the well-intended idea of creating a new prosperous economy that can decongest Old Calabar and create a hob for those who want to stay off the hustle and bustle of noisy Calabar city lifestyles.
State and Federal Governments were already interested in opening up the economic vistas of the areas such as low-cost Housing Estates, Police and Navy Colleges, Dangote Cement, and oil palm Estates. With these, economic space and the climate to usher in prosperity for the areas became visible.
But all that good intentions became a wishful dream and wasted efforts as Akpabuyo and Bakassi Local Government Areas became the center for all manner of known criminal activities.
It got up to a point where permission and huge monies must be sought for and paid for burials, weddings, Chieftaincy installations, and other social events before it can go on.
Otherwise, halfway into the event, sporadic gunshots will erupt and guests will scamper for safety and the event forced to a shutdown. Even Public/Civil Servants who go to render teaching and other social services have serially been molested and wounded.
It became an extremely lawless area beyond the control of the state security apparatus, to the extent of becoming a hideout to accommodate criminals and notorious gangs from adjoining States.
Certainly, no responsible government can afford to fold its arms and watch the complete breakdown of law and order including the disruption of economic activities and structures.
Recall that Governor Otu, during the election campaigns warned criminals in Akpabuyo and Bakassi to change their attitude for good or relocate as certainly. If he wins, he will come back for them with a temple run.
The people of the areas voted massively for Otu so that he can come back and guarantee them the peace of mind and serenity that had eluded them in Akpabuyo and Bakassi.
Otu is now the Governor. As a promise keeper, he is now in the driver’s seat to fulfill his promise of restoring the security issues in Akpabuyo and Bakassi to lost glory. As a precursor to winning the victory, Otu imposed a curfew as a welcome development.
The members of National and State Assemblies must join Otu in these giant strides. However, Governor Otu and the aforementioned should go beyond addressing security issues in the areas to providing empowerment that can put food on the tables of the teeming jobless youths of the areas.
They must key into the new prosperous Cross River State of our dream.
Barrister Ugoji Nwabueze is a former Senior Special Assistant to the immediate past Governor, Sen. Ben Ayade On Non-Indigene Affairs.
NB: Opinions expressed in this article are strictly attributable to the author, Ugoji Nwabueze, and do not represent the opinion of CrossRiverWatch or any other organization the author works for/with.
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