Insecurity in Delta State, What Governor Sheriff is doing differently.

Insecurity is endemic in Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy and most populous country and every state in Nigeria have their fair share of security challenges.

Economic challenges and high rate of unemployment is also part of the reasons why crime rate surges in Nigeria generally as those who doesn’t have any other means of livelihood subscribes to crime.

In Delta State, we are faced with kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism and in some local Government, Fulani herdsmen attack.

Immediately after 2023 General Election, the rate of kidnapping, armed robbery in Delta increased because out of desperation, the opposition party used all their political influence to release many deadly criminals from the prison,
armed them with different kinds of arms and ammunition to cause violence in PDP dominated Areas so they can win.

The aftermath was that those they released returned to the streets with the same arms kidnapping anything that crosses their path and were demanding from 20,000 to 300,000 ransom but thank goodness for Governor’s proactive security measures.

Remember Governor Sheriff was also attacked along sapele Rd during his campaign period with assault riffles.

Kidnapping along airport Rd, Ughelli Agbarho Rd, Effurun, Ekpan, Effurun Sapele road and lately, Egbo and Agbarho were some of the challenges the Governor faced immediately after 2023 election.

The gang that attacked and killed 12 persons on the 24th of Dec 2022 in Ekpan and many others gangs led by Notorious Bubune, Momtimi and others that built their camp in Ekpan -Oregha bush were neutralized by the security agencies.

You don’t expect the Governor to carry arms to show that he’s working but his unquantified support to agencies saddled with the responsibility to combat crimes by providing them with all necessary logistics shows his passion to fight crime.

Governor Sheriff is most experienced in combating crime haven served as Security Assistant/Advisor to the former Governors, Chief Ibori and Emmanuel Uduaghan.

Armed gangs are ravaging the South ,East, West and Northern regions of the country, jihadist groups are active in the northeast and the southeast has been rocked by separatist unrest but going by statistics, Delta is relatively peaceful as security analyst rated insecurity in Delta to 34% in September and 29% in October 2024.

AS WE APPROACH CHRISTMAS MONTH.

We all need to be security conscious as gunmen take advantage of this season to attack travellers and kidnap them, especially near forests which are used as hideouts.

The security agencies and the Government had therefore banned “all forms of vehicle movement” from the 12am through 5am.

This is one of the measures to curb crime and criminalities in Delta suburbs.

Emergency workers, fire fighters and journalists are excluded from this measure.

As we celebrate Christmas, let us also remember and offer special prayers for all of our countrymen, women and children who have suffered and continue to suffer untold hardship, deprivation and death at the hands of criminals.

“Let us also continue to pray for our gallant soldiers and security agents, who remain at the forefront of the national effort to overcome terrorism and violent extremism, even as the rest of the nation celebrates Christmas and the coming New Year.”

In this season of goodwill, I urge all patriotic Deltan to rededicate themselves to doing all within their powers to support the brave men and women of our armed forces in the on-going war against crime, and also support the state Government’s efforts to provide more succour to the hapless.

For this Yuletide, we sincerely require the cooperation of Delta residents to effectively nip crime in the bud even before they happen.

“If you see or sense anything wrong or about to go wrong; you have to inform the law enforcement personnel close to you.

“Crimes usually happen in communities and neighbourhoods; and those perpetrating these crimes also live among the people in the neighbourhoods.

“call our distress line 08026723338 to give useful security information,” he stated.

Engr. Udoka Emmanuel Chika-dibie Mnse, Executive Assistant to the Governor on Security