Ubon Ekanem/Endurance Onun
Paramount rulers, political statesmen and a handful of other stakeholders who attended the recent security submit organized by the State's Commissioner of Police, Mr. Austin Agbonlahor have pointed accusing fingers at the Cross River State Government for the rising security challenges in the state NEGROIDHAVEN can say.
The state-wide security forum which held last week at the Senior Police Officers' Mess, Moore Road, Calabar was jointly anchored by the Police CP and Paramount Ruler of Obudu LGA, HRH. Uti J.D Agba.
The forum which was convened to proffer solutions on how to curb the rising wave of insecurity across the state unanimously blamed CRSG for not doing enough to stem the menace.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Austin Agbonlahor the CP harped on the importance of respecting the sanctity of life against the backdrop of incessant killings during communal clashes. He cautioned against taking of a human's life at the slightest provocation, wondering why premium should be paid over land rather than life.
Speakers upon speakers took their turns to register their sentiments on the matter and all did so in heaping the blame of all communal fracas in the state on the door-step of the government.
The forum also accused the state government of paying lip service to issues of security in the state.
Reacting to the sentiments of the forumites, the Police Commissioner held that the meeting was not for trading blames, however the participants insisted that government should be up in arms by providing the necessary logistics like funding of security agencies and patrol vans, amidst other requirements for better securiting in the state.
There has been increased rate of communal violence in the northern and central senatorial districts of the state, kidnapping and rivalry amongst gangsters confraternities especially in the state capital city which has claimed numerous lives. The State Government and respective government agencies should up their ante in the provision of security across the state.
There has been calls to the government to appoint a credible person to the Office of State Security Adviser and conduct local government elections across the 18 LGAs. The state government should heed these calls for obvious reasons.
