The Solad spoke after stakeholders in Etche local council area raised alarm when the state government security team visited the food zone of the state.
The Rivers State government has identified three key security threats in the state. The government has vowed to fight back.
Details:
Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas Rtd, the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, has vowed to launch intervention actions in some local council areas of the state that have raised outcry over kidnapping and herder-farmer clashes.
The Sole Administrator, who was represented by Olugbenga Adepoju, the Commissioner of Police, to assess the security situation and to engage with stakeholders on pressing challenges facing the community, said intervention measures would be applied.
The visit, which included interactive sessions with traditional leaders, youth representatives, women groups, and security agencies, was said to have highlighted critical issues affecting Etche, including insecurity, land disputes, infrastructure decay, unemployment, and the menace of herdsmen.
The key problems highlighted by the community included land-grabbing, herdsmen attacks, and kidnapping.
Onyenachi Nwankwor, the sole administrator, expressed deep concern over rising criminality, land disputes, and herdsmen invasions, which have made farming and movement unsafe.
Silas Anyanwu, the president-general of Ogbakor Etche, lamented that residents now sleep with one eye open due to herdsmen attacks, citing an incident where a man was assaulted for refusing to pay a N6,000 fee to access his farmland.
Another stakeholder, Joseph Amaechi, criticized the repeated absence of Miyetti Allah leadership at security meetings, calling it a deliberate slight.
Other critical headaches for the people mentioned include decayed infrastructure and social services, saying Etche, which once had two functional hospitals, now struggles with only one. They said the Okehi General Hospital and Umuede Health Centre were non-operational, leaving residents without adequate medical care.
They also mentioned education crisis and electricity and sanitation crisis, youth unemployment, restiveness, etc. as worries to the people. A youth showed huge worry, warning that without government intervention in employment and security, the community might resort to self-help.
Responding, Disu reiterated that security was a collective responsibility and urged the community to establish internal security measures while collaborating with law enforcement.
On herdsmen crisis, he assured that the police would intensify surveillance and engage with relevant stakeholders, including Miyetti Allah, to address the menace.
On infrastructure and employment, he said the State Government would prioritize the revitalization of healthcare, education, and economic projects in Etche.
The state government vowed to deploy additional security personnel to flashpoints; facilitate stakeholder dialogues with herdsmen leadership; fast-track rehabilitation of hospitals, schools, and youth empowerment programs; and engage with investors to revive the Delta Rubber Company and other economic ventures.
Government said the visit to Etche underscored the government’s resolve to tackle Etche’s challenges holistically and encouraged residents to remain law-abiding.
