By Abasi Ita, Calabar
Disturbed by the escalating wave of kidnapping ravaging the state, the government of Cross River is urging the Nigerian Army to step-in to augment the efforts of other sister security outfits in combating the prevailing security menace in the state.
Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Elvert Ayambim, said this when he led some principal officers of the House on a courtesy visit to the Commander,13 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Everest Okoro at the Brigade Headquarters in Calabar.
He decried the litany of security challenges bedeviling Cross River to include kidnapping, car thefts, and cultism, stressing that a robust synergy amongst the various security outfits was needed to surmount the growing nightmare.
In his words “the upsurge in kidnapping is unbearable and demands a resolute response to curtail this threat confronting us. The abduction of Dr. Mrs.Ekanem Ephraim, a consultant Professor of Neurology, who has been in captivity for a month now, is a sad episode highlighting the precarious situation rattling the state”
“The ugly scenario which has dented our enviable status as the most peaceful, secured state in Nigeria calls for total overhauling of the security architecture of the state with the Army, along with other military formations playing a commanding role in assisting the Police.”
Responding, the Brigade Commander, Brigadier General Everest Okoro said he was delighted with the visit, expressing optimism that it will go a long way in strengthening the existing cordial relationship between the Brigade and the state government.
He emphasized that the Brigade is always disposed to carrying out its complementary role in guaranteeing internal security and will not hesitate to do so whenever the need arises to tackle threats within the ambit of professional best practices.
In the same vein, the state government has assured the Nigeria Police, Cross River Command of necessary logistic assistance to reposition the Command for the optimum discharge of its statutory responsibilities.
Assembly Speaker, Elvert Ayambem gave the assurance when visited the State Police Commissioner, CP Gyogon Grimah at the Force Command Headquarters in Calabar.
He urged the Police to step up community policing strategy to facilitate intelligence gathering to nip criminal activities in the bud.
In a remark, CP Gyogon Grimah implored the government to cultivate closer working ties with security agencies especially the Divisional Police Officers at the grassroots to ensure a collaborative approach aimed at surmounting the tidal wave of kidnapping and other forms of insecurity rocking the state.
The Police boss bemoaned the high rate of lawlessness among youths citing an instance where irate youths ransacked a Police station to abduct some suspects from custody only to lynch them to death later, warning that jungle justice will never be tolerated by the Command.