By Zik Gbemre

With regards to recent reports that the Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has disclosed that the State Government would demolish the property of convicted kidnappers and their collaborators in the State to check incidents of kidnapping and other criminal activities, we consider this as a welcome development.

However, while we acknowledge the fact that the Nigerian Police Force in Delta State, specifically the Officers of the Area Commands Warri and Ughelli, are doing a good job in providing security and fighting crimes in their areas of jurisdiction, however there is expedient need for the Delta State Government to support the good efforts of the Delta State Police Command in security assurance by providing the Police with Patrol Vehicles like Toyota Hilux Vehicles and Good Communications Gadgets like Radios, Walkie-Talkies, etc, to facilitate the operations of the Police in fighting crimes like kidnapping within the State.

Since Governor Okowa had noted that the State’s amended kidnapping law would go beyond jail sentence for kidnappers as the property and houses of culpable individuals and their collaborators would be demolished as they will be considered as proceeds of crime, the Governor should also make the effort to properly equip the Delta State Police Command with the Standard Communication Gadgets and Patrol Vehicles for such crimes to be prevented and addressed promptly by the Delta State Police.

The Delta State Police Command need good motorable vehicles and Modern Radio Communication Gadgets to effectively and efficiently carry out their jobs.

The Police will not be able to move and answer ‘distress calls,’ especially when they arise in kidnap and other violent crime cases, without this operational logistics. There is urgent need for the Delta State Government to use the security votes in its coffers to promptly provide Modern Radio Communication Gadgets and good motorable vehicles to all the Divisional Police stations, Police Posts and Area Commanders Offices of Warri and Ughelli, etc. This will really go a long way in addressing most of the ‘security challenges’, especially kidnapping in Warri and environs.

Also, since the Delta State Governor, as the Chief Security Officer of the State, has recently reiterating its resolve to address criminal activities in Delta State to make the State a ‘safe heaven’ for foreign and domestic investors, there is the urgent need for the Delta State Government to issue an ‘Executive Ban’ on Political Thuggery and Youth Restiveness/Violence in Delta State. The Ban of Political Thuggery would address the evil act of Politicians who use and arm our jobless youths with dangerous weapons to win elections, after which, these youths are left to use these same dangerous weapons to commit all manners of crimes from kidnapping, armed robbery, assassination to other violent crimes. While the said Ban on Youth Restiveness/Violence will address the evident menace of our youths disturbing ‘property developers’ in the name of “Deve”, harassing small business owners in the name of selling local government councils tickets/stickers, and also address the problem of youths taking laws into their hands at any slightest provocation to disturb public peace, loot and commit acts of violence against innocent citizenry.

These are steps we strongly advise the Delta State Governor to take to address the level of criminality in the State amongst our younger generations.

We ask that this issue should be given the needed attention it deserves.

Zik Gbemre, JP.

National Coordinator

Niger Delta Peace Coalition (NDPC)