Kidnapping, pipeline vandalism, armed robbery, threats to economic growth – Gov. Okowa

Delta State Governor, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has raised the alarm that security challenges like, kidnapping, pipeline vandalism and armed robbery are likely going to constitute a major threat to the nation’s socio-economic and political development if measures are not taken to nip them in the bud.
To this end, Okowa advocated for synergy among security agencies and governments at all levels for a peaceful and investment-friendly nation.
Okowa spoke Tuesday in Asaba when he played host to the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2nd Division, Nigeria Army, Ibadan, Major General Laz Ilo who paid him a courtesy visit.
Okowa said, “Crimes such as kidnapping, maritime threats and armed robbery have posed major challenge to our state, but our government has been working with security agencies including the military to ensure that we are able to tackle effectively these vices in our society. We are working effectively with the military and we are trying to put things together to see how we can tackle the menace of kidnapping, vandalism and issues concerning armed robbery.
“I want to appeal to youths and people both on land and in the creeks that we must give peace a chance and we must ensure that we actually seek to maintain oil facilities and pipelines, we should not vandalize our pipelines and disrupt oil production, I believe that there is a need to engage our people and we are putting in place bodies in government that will very soon engage with our communities effectively to ensure that we will nip crises in the bud,” the governor said.
“I have always asked for the security agencies, the Military, Police, Directorate of State Services and all other agencies, to collaborate with each other and we are on the verge of trying to ensure that we are able to work more closely with minimal funding to be able to achieve our dreams so that we can have a more peaceful state.”
Okowa noted that for citizens to live in a violence free, secured and peaceful society, there was the urgent need for collaboration among the various security agencies and government in order to bring security challenges to barest minimum.
He also pointed out that a peaceful atmosphere is important for investment to thrive, stressing that only then would there be jobs for the teeming youths and people.
“I believe that as we continue to collaborate with each other in our various states and nationally, that we will have a more peaceful and investment friendly nation and to that extent we will be able to begin to create jobs for our teeming youths and by the time you are able to take up a lot of youths in our programmes of job creation, we are likely going to have a more peaceful environment, and reduce the number of idle hands that will begin to think of creating crisis and insurgency.”
While commending the security agencies in the state particularly the army for its role in tackling the security challenges facing the country and the state, Governor Okowa decried the spate of kidnappings in the country and promised continued support for the security agencies to combat crimes such as kidnappings, pipeline vandalism and armed robbery.
He appealed to Deltans especially the youths to give peace a chance, protect the oil installations in their locality and stop any form of vandalism, adding that the state government would soon embark on advocacy and engage the various communities and youths on peace building so as to nip crises in the bud.
Major General Ilo said that they were on a familiarisation tour of all army units and formations in the Division and acquaint themselves with the people and government in the seven states that make up the Division.
He reiterated the readiness of the Army to combat security challenges and reduce criminality and lawlessness to its barest minimum so as to make the state conducive for investment.