BY PHILIP EKE, YENAGOA

Bayelsa State which was created from Rivers State on October 1 1996,.before its creation the area known as Bayelsa comprised three Local Government Areas namely, Brass Local Government Area (BALGA), Sagbama Local Government Area (SALGA) and Yenagoa Local Government Area (YELGA). The name Bayelsa was coined from BALGA, YELGA and SALGA.

CP SODIPO (M) WITH TRADITIONAL RULERS, CDC CHAIRMEN, PCRC MEMBERS
AND THE DPO OF AZIKORO DIVISION, SP FIDELIS ODUNNA RIGHT, DURING THE CP
RECENT VISIT TO AZIKORO DIVISION IN YENAGOA.

Administratively, the State is made up of Eight Local Government Areas, Nembe, Ogbia, Sagbama, Southern Ijaw, Brass, Ekeremor, Kolokuma/ Opokuma and Yenagoa Local Government Areas presently.

It is worthy of note that the terrain is 80%0 covered with water, which makes security operations very difficult perhaps of lack of operational equipment such as gunboats, manpower, among others. That often makes security operation cumbersome. It is a known fact that the State is a peaceful state, but kidnapping, cultism, pipeline vandalism has been on the increased, recently which makes police and other security agencies sleepless nights in overcoming the menace.

Several police commissioners have served wholeheartedly. The new commissioner of Police Bayelsa State, Mr. Kola Sodipo, while unveiling his security master plan in Bayelsa State, stated emphatically that his tenure will mark drastic reduction of crime rate, perhaps of this new methodologies in curbing the trend, he said, as a professional serving Police officer, who has created a niche for himself, as well appealed to Officers and men of the Bayelsa State Police Command to be very professional in serving their father land in fighting crime.

Compol has already visited several sister security agencies, notably the Joint  Military Taskforce, (JTF) now code name Operation SafeDelta (OSD) Civil Defense Corps among others, and solidified collaborative effort.

The distinguished crime fighter, recently toured “A” Division, Yenagoa, also visited Ekeki Division, where he encourage and gave his striking lecture with officers, Inspectors and rank and files, also had enlarge meeting with critical stakeholders, notably, the PCRC, the vigilantes, market men and women, the two DPOs CSP Ebimor Ceylon and CSP Peter U Ezebuike in their separate remarks appreciated the CP and its entourage, there outline their challenges and achievements

At Azikoro Division, the DPO SP Fidelis Odunna, former Police Public Relations Officer of Bayelsa State Police Command. In his brief striking remarks stressed for the provision of more patrol vans, walkie talkie, expansion of the Police post to accommodate a befitting office for the traffic department, increase manpower among others, SP Odunna equally highlighted that as a result of proactive efforts of his officers and men of the Police Division, crime rate has been so reduced, Azikoro community equally appealed to Bayelsa State Police Command to establish Police Primary/Secondary School to carter for the educational development of the community, in the vein the community pledged to donate land for the unique educational project when approved by the Bayelsa State Police Command.

CP in his swift response maintained the well trained community oriented Vigilante and Professional work force  of stakeholders in the society would go a long way in solving the mirage of security upheavals in Bayelsa State and Nigeria at large, stressing that the police service Commission and the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and other principal stakeholders are doing their best in providing the needed support, but the basic problem faced in Bayelsa State is funding, and lack of manpower. CP pledged to increase the manpower when the Police recruitment is over. CP Sodipo also reaffirmed strong term in creating an enabling environment of term works through policy trust, commitment, ultimate collaboration, Police Public Partnership (PPP) as a watch dog as a model in modern policing.

At Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State in his recent visit to formularize himself himself with various Police formation, on arrival, the Chiefs Council, the Chairman of the Nembe Council of Chiefs, King Edmond Daukoru, the Amayanabo of Nembe Kingdom, who was former Minister of Petroleum Resources, former OPEC President, in his welcome address thanked the Commissioner of Police and presented several security issues, King Daukoru asserted that Police should create a Community awareness of crime problems and methods of increasing the Police Force in Nembe Local Government to enable the Police deal with actual or potential criminal activity in a method that is swift, effective and Placing emphasis on safety to the entire Local Government, also to eliminate citizen apathy about reporting a crime to the Police.

The Royal father equally affirmed that many oil companies are located in the Local Government Area, but the basic problem faced is neglect of GMOus which often forms causes youths restiveness and rancor, but with the proactive intervention of the chief council most times crises had been diverted or reduced, call for Police intervention in fostering unity, peace love and more rapid developing of Nembe Local Government Area.

Compol sodipo at the Chiefs’ palace and also addressing a great crowd of Police officers, inspectors, rank and files, the CDC; PCRC, Youth groups, NYSC members in Nembe Local Government Area, Commended the good people of Nembe for the peaceful disposition, although, there are issues of insecurities such as kidnapping, sea piracy, oil pipeline vandalism, while tasking the people of Nembe to be always law abiding and should be their brothers keepers. CP Equally hinted that there is new evolution of policing, geared by the former IGP, Mr. Solomon Arase, nothing that the incoming IGP would uphold the tempo, the reformation geared so far has tremendously brought crime rate very low in Bayelsa State and the country in its entirety.

More so, commending officers and men for their forthrightness, equally nothing that there is ultimate need of improvement. He said Police are so visible, while heralding the crucial nature of Police Patrol in every nooks and crannies in Nembe for the security of lives and property, while tasking the youths to abstain from criminalities, which he said would not do them good, rather than impoverished their living standards.

The compol during his visits to Nembe Local Government Area also inspected abandoned Police post, appealed to Nembe Local Government council to renovate for proper use, the Chairman of the Council who was ably represented by the Vice Chairman of the council, pledge, to support the project completion, also appreciate the Commissioner of Police and its management team for the kind visit.

At Sagbama Local Government Area of the Commissioners maiden visit, which is Governor Henry Seriake’s Local Government, on arrival, equally inspected guard of honour and was well recieved by the gallant Divisional Police Officer, CSP Shadrack U thanked the CP and entourage for the kind visit, whch is well boost their moral and commitment. The Chairman of Sagbama Local Government Council, Hon. Michael Magbisa, PCRC members, council of Chiefs, Youths, Vigilante members, were fully in attendance. The chairman of the council promised to support the Police whole heartedly with available resources, especially, the completion of the expansion project at the division.