Embattled and displaced residents of the famous and commercially rich Oyorokoto Community in the Andoni Local Government Area, now have reason to be glad as their businesses would be revitalised following the assurances of adequate and full security operations in the community to checkmate prevalent menace of incessant armed robbery attacks and cult related activities in the community.
Chairman, Caretaker Committee of Andoni Local Government Council, Hon. Ere Godwin Victor gave the assurance of hope and relief to the people of Oyorokoto during a town hall meeting last Thursday. The meeting which was an interface between the government and the governed was also in commemoration of Nigeria’s 55th Independence anniversary.
The Chairman, Ere Victor, in line with the policy of the New Rivers Vision of his Excellency Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON, of zero tolerance to acts of criminality in the state, while sympathizing with families of victims of the previous weekend attack, warned those engaged in nefarious acts to desist forthwith or be prepared to face the wrath of the law.
However, while promising residents to station a unit of the military presence at the community without further delay, the council boss had encouraged the people to go about their legitimate businesses, noted that peace is synonymous with development, as he challenged parents, wards and residents to expose those behind such heinous crimes, for the needed peace to thrive.
According to the chairman, such criminals cannot co-exist with law abiding citizens in the same community, hence anyone with useful information leading to their way about should contact the secret numbers established by government.
Earlier, Chiefs’ Abbey Green-Ngoh of Oyorokoto, Prince Benjamin Mbaba of Ibot-Okpon Oyorokoto and elders of Agana-Oyorokoto respectively applauded the council for raising their hope again while appealing in strong terms for the establishment of military presence to checkmate the criminals and their activities.
Furthermore, the Community Development Committee who are not left out in airing their views led by the chairman, Mr. Fred Dukor, the women wing led by their leader Mrs. Cecilia Derefa as well as the youths’ wing who would not wait to be told and led to the meeting by its vocal and unassuming leader Mr. Sunday Lazarus Gogo have in their separate speeches call on the local and state governments to intervene in the prevailing cases of killings, unrest, obstruction of businesses, armed robbery and other vices in the area.
According to them, the once African business hub has been deserted occasioned on activities of hoodlums and gunmen who resorted to killing of innocent citizens and forceful taxes against expectations. They equally expressed worries of what their lives would be after departure of the chairman or delay in deploying the military.
It would be recalled that on the early hours of Friday 25th September, 2015 gunmen had attacked Oyorokoto Community killing not less than seven (7) young men, carted away properties worth millions of naira and as well sacked business moguls and other residents.
The seemingly abandoned Oyorokoto Community on arrival of the chairman later came alive especially on the promise of military presence.
James Mgboineme
