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| Governor Okorocha inspecting the 'Guard of Honour' of the Niger Delta Security Network during their inauguration yesterday |
Imo state Governor,
Owelle Rochas Okorocha has launched a security outfit in Imo State known as the
‘Niger-Delta Security Network’ aimed at fighting cultism, vandalization of oil
pipelines, kidnapping and other heinous crimes in the Oil Producing Areas of
the State including Ohaji, Egbema and Oguta.
Inaugurating the
security outfit at the Government House, Owerri yesterday, Governor Okorocha
said it takes the indigenes of an area to effectively fight crimes in a given
place since no criminal operation could succeed without the cooperation or
information from an insider or someone who knows the terrain.
The governor reminded
them that they should subject themselves to the authorities of the Police and
other higher security agencies in the State and should not operate like a
counter force to these security agencies.
His words “your duty is
to find out the hiding places of these cultists or miscreants who have been
terrorizing the oil producing areas of Ohaji/Egbema and Oguta, flush them out
and hand them over to the law enforcement agencies for prosecution within three
months.”
The governor continued
“there are 250 of you who have been recruited to serve in the security
network. You must not involve in any criminal activity
yourself. If any of you is caught in any criminal activity, he goes
to jail. You must be disciplined. You have been called to
serve your people. That is why all of you are from the mentioned oil
producing areas. We believe that those carrying out these cult
activities are your people. You flush them out so that the majority
of your people shall enjoy peace.”
He continued, “Recently,
the Inspector General of Police emphasized on the need for community policing
and even before now, we have been on that page. It takes those who
know the criminals to apprehend them. The rate of cultism and other
crimes in Ohaji, Egbema and Oguta has become worrisome to the
government. And we have decided to take the bull by the horn.”
“The activities of these
cultists have resulted to the death of innocent people and some Traditional Rulers
have fled their homes to avoid being killed by these cultists. The State
government will no longer tolerate the activities of such
miscreants. We are going to do all within our power to check the
ugly situation. That is the reason for setting up this security
network” the governor added.
Governor Okorocha also
directed that 16 area offices built for the organization be released to it and
also released the sum of four Million Naira to the outfit to enable it cushion
the harsh effect of the rigorous training they passed through while in
camp.
He gave the Imo Niger
Delta Security Network 90 days to bring the activities of the cultists under check
and warned that members of the outfit will be dissolved if they do not achieve
the set target within the stipulated period.
In his speech earlier,
the Director General of the organization, Dr. Justice Harcourt thanked the
governor for the interest he has shown in the development of the Niger Delta
area of the State including the appointment of a son of the area, Engineer
Kingsley Uju as the Deputy Chief of Staff and the establishment of a Marine
University in Osemotto.
Dr. Harcourt requested
for the opening of their head office in Owerri, the provision of vehicles,
equipment, radio sets and torch lights for use by the security me
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