Traditional rulers have been urged to avoid making utterances capable of causing disharmony amongst the people.
The Police Commissioner in Cross River State, South-south Nigeria, Sikiru Akande made the call during a parley with some newsmen in Calabar Metropolis.
Akande noted that the command was making efforts in sustaining peace in Cross River.
He lamented the actions of some traditional rulers, which he said would cause disunity and strife if not nipped in the bud.
“One thing that is worrisome to us (the Police) now is the action of elders. Maybe because we have brought relative peace to Cross River State, the elders, who are supposed to help us, are engaged in unnecessary squabbles. Lingering traditional issues are being brought up again,” the Commissioner stated.
Council chamber closed
According to him, the command has cautioned the traditional rulers and closed down the council chambers of the Henshaw Town clan in an effort to stall any crisis in Calabar South local government area.
He stated, “we have told them (the traditional leaders) in clear terms; anybody that is going to do anything capable of causing disunity or bring problems to this State, we will deal decisively with them.
“Some people have accused the police of shutting down the traditional rulers’ council secretariat, it is not our making. The number of petitions and counter petitions that we have received is over One hundred. And, as responsible people, we will not fold our arms and such situation degenerate into crisis,” Akande stated.
The Police Commissioner advised that the leaders should seek redress in court rather than take matters into their own hands.
Achievements
On the achievements of the command before, during and after the Easter celebrations, Akande expressed appreciation to the media, citizens and police officers and men for sharing information and working assiduously to keep crime at the barest minimum.
He said, “I sincerely thank the people of Cross River State for making the past week peaceful for all of us. The cooperation the Nigeria Police Force received from the public helped us a great deal at keeping the Easter period crime free.”
“While everybody was busy enjoying themselves that was when we intensified our efforts to make important arrest of criminal elements in society. From the number of persons paraded today, you would agree that the police were not on holiday.
“So, I am using this opportunity to thank the officers and men of this command, who remain sleepless and undaunted despite the challenges. But they ensured that we brought criminality to the barest minimum,” Akande said.
He added that the command arrested 34 suspects and recovered three locally made pistols, charms, iron windows, one live cartridge, one short axe, three red berets and four red face masks. Other items were five pointer stick spears, three hundred and eight thousand naira cash, a Passat wagon, aluminium electric poles, two knives, a scissors and one cell phone.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
