A socio-cultural group known as Igbo Congress has pledge to support the Nigeria Police Force in fighting criminalities through community policing.
The President of Igbo Congress in Cross River State, south-south Nigeria, Raymond Atulomah, who led members of his executive council on a visit to the Police Commissioner Sikiru Akande, expressed the readiness of Ndi Igbo to partner with the police command.
Atulomah told the police commissioner said that Igbo leaders would contribute to ensuring that the force succeed in its crime fighting mandate and commended the Inspector General of Police Usman Alkali Baba for launching “Operation Restore Peace”, which was yielding results in Calabar.
Enhancing local security
He said that the Igbo community was committed to promoting peaceful co-existence and liaising with the host communities especially in enhancing local security.
The Igbo Congress President said, “we are here to pay solidarity visit to the commissioner and congratulate him on his appointment. We pledge to collaborate with your office in the area of community policing. We promise to be law abiding and carry out our business within the confines of the law.
“As leaders we would not condone or tolerate anyone of our people engaging in any unlawful act that would bring Ndi Igbo to disrepute. Therefore, we enjoin your office to reach out to us in the area of need as that would ease our way of doing business.
“We equally commend the commissioner for his avowed commitment to zero tolerance for crime especially in the area of kidnapping that almost ruined Igbo businesses in the state,” he said.
Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Ben Ayade on Non-Indigene Matters, Ugoji Nwabueze, noted that the commissioner was returning to serve in Cross River, which has been his home and urged him to use his wealth of experience in policing the state.
Nwabueze, who is an astute broadcaster, legal practitioner and Communication teacher said “Cross River is a relatively peaceful state with low crime rate especially since your arrival. We assure the police command one hundred percent of Igbo support and we pledge our readiness to work with you to fight crime because businesses thrive mostly in a peaceful atmosphere.”
Assuring citizens security
Responding, the Cross River Commissioner for Police, Sikiru Akande, expressed gratitude to the Igbo leaders for finding out time to pay him a visit.
Akande said: “This is the most interesting moment and the best visit I have ever had because it has given me an opportunity to share some thoughts with Ndi igbo in the state.
“Let me say it that Igbo have been protective of the command in the area of collaboration. Cross River is the only state within south-south zone that did not witness IPOB (Indigenous People of Biafra) and ESN (Eastern Security Network) crisis because of the cooperation of Igbo leaders,” Akande stated.
The police Commissioner commended Igbo leaders for their support over the years and assured of further collaboration, saying “the Igbo leaders have paid their dues to protect the state and we thank them for doing so. As a command, we would always protect the interest of the Igbo community like we do all other communities in Cross River.”
Present at the visit included the President of Igbo Community, University of Calabar, Professor Rufus Okoro; Chidienere Onuemaizu, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Ben Ayade on Print Media; the Secretary of Igbo Congress, Okennwa Judex Okoro; Fidelis Onyebueke, the former Vice Chairman of Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, Calabar Branch and Patron of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Cross River State.
Lateefah Ibrahim
