Wike lauds army over crime reduction in Rivers

Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers said on Friday that the Nigerian Army deserves commendation for the reduction in the crime rate in the state.

The governor gave the commendation when the General officer Commanding 6th Division of the Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Inobong Udoh paid him a courtesy call in Port Harcourt.

Wike noted that the effort of the Nigerian Army had generally reduced the level of criminality in Rivers, especially cultism and kidnapping.

The governor commended the military top brass for establishing the 6th Division of the Army and for making Port Harcourt its headquarters.

Wike stated that no reasonable governor would allow insecurity to thrive in his state.

He, therefore, pledged the state government’s support and cooperation for the Army to conquer criminality totally in the state.

He said that his administration would not play politics in the fight against cultism, kidnapping and other forms of criminality in Rivers.

“You have my 100 per cent support to fight crime and criminality. I don’t mind how much it will take to fight crime, ‘’ he added.

The governor promised to rehabilitate dilapidated accommodation facilities for the Army in a bid to reduce accommodation difficulties for its personnel.

On the controversy on land acquisition by the Army at Omuma, in Omuma council in the state, the governor promised to direct his Special Adviser on land to sort out the problems between the Army and the landlords.

He urged the army to work harder to ensure that the menace of illegal refineries was tackled in the state to rid the era of black sooth.

Wike also commended the Army for exhibiting professionalism in the just concluded conclusive legislative rerun elections in Omuma and Etche federal and state constituencies in Rivers.

He called on the Police and the Department of State Service (DSS) to emulate the army in the discharge of their duties.

In his remarks, the GOC commanding 6 Division, Maj.-Gen. Inobong Udoh said that the 6 Division was a brand new establishment designed to fight insecurity in the Niger Delta region.

He said that officers and men of the 6th Division would discharge their duties professionally.

Udoh commended the governor for assisting the Army in achieving success in the discharge of its duties.

The GOC particularly hailed Wike for assisting the Army in stemming the tide of criminality in the state.

The Army Chief called on the governor to also assist the formation in the provision of logistics to enable officers and men of the Division patrol the area under his command effectively.

“I want to ask for assistance in the area of operational vehicles to enable us cover all the areas within the Division, ‘’ he added.

Newsverge reports that the 6th Division of the Nigerian Army, which was recently established, oversees Army formations in Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Delta states.

Newsverge reports that the headquarters of the Division is located in Port Harcourt the Rivers State capital.