UDUAGHAN SETS UP CATTLE REARING COMMITTEE TO TACKLE INSECURITY *promises to tackle challenges of checkpoints

Tejiri Ebikeme/Francis Sadhere

To stem the rise of insecurity occasioned by cattle rearers in most parts of the country, the Delta state Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has set up a task force on the control of movement of cattle in the state.

Governor Uduaghan stated this at the Government Annex, Warri, today, while briefing newsmen after an enlarged state Security Council Meeting.

Governor Uduaghan noted that cattle rearing in the country have assumed a new dimension, saying that some of them were now carry arms with which they used in killing innocent people.

“Cattle rearing have assumed a new dimension in the state. Some of them may or may not even be cattle rearers. And there is an influx of these kinds of persons into the state. They have been terrorizing some farmers, some women have been raped and some people have even been killed too,” he said.

He said the state government was ready to collaborate with the Federal Government in fighting the menace of cattle rearing in the country, adding that in the interim, it was putting up a task force to control the movement of cattle in the state.

He said; “For us in Delta State, we are going to work with the Federal Government to ensure that we solve this problem. In the interim, we are putting up a task force on the control of movement of cattle in the state. Council has resolved that they are going to control the movement of cattle in the state.”

According to Governor Uduaghan, the task force will be headed by the State Commissioner for Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, noting that he will be working with the Army, SSS, Immigration and the Civil Defence Core.

Other members of the task force, according to the Governor will include; three representatives of the traditional institution, three representatives from the Northern community in the state, two representatives from the state House of Assembly, three council chairmen, the Commissioner for Information and the office of the Secretary to the State Government.

The Governor also noted that the state was aware of a large influx of persons into the state who are occupying illegal structures and causing problem for the state.

He said the task force will also be assigned to handle and fish out all illegal immigrants who had no business in the state and hand them over to the law enforcement agents in the state.

The Governor advised all stakeholders and community leaders in the state to be vigilant and report any strange faces they see around their respective communities.

He advised traditional rulers in the state to always come up with solutions anytime they are faced with any security challenges in their domains.

He also advised women and farmers in the rural communities not to go to the farms alone, noting that it will be more difficult for anybody to attack them when they are in groups.

Governor Uduaghan mandated all the transitional committee chairmen to always hold security meetings once in every month and report back to him.

Meanwhile, Governor Uduaghan has promised the people of the state that he was looking at the issue of military checkpoints dotted around the state, adding that they were there because of security challenges faced by the state sometime ago.

He assured the people that though he was not going to remove the checkpoints immediately, he will make sure that the heavy traffic caused by the checkpoints was reduced.