By Dorathy Mbasen Uba
The Chief Superintendent of Police in charge of Operations, Delta State Police Command, CPS Ukadike Chuks has assured Deltans that the Commissioner of Police together with other security agencies are working round-the-clock to ensure that there is adequate peace and security in the State.
CSP Ukadike gave this assurance following security updates from CPAs LPAs and other security actors during the monthly meeting of the Delta State Peace Architecture (DSPA), a state-level dialogue platform which was held on Monday, July 25, 2024 at Asaba, the state capital.
Several security issues ranging from armed robbery, vandalization, kidnapping, herdsmen, drug abuse, cultism, land disputes, human trafficking, prostitution, cyber crime as well as unrest in oil and gas communities were reported by both Community Peace Architecture and Local Government Peace Architecture for immediate intervention by related authorities.
He said that the fight against violence and all forms of criminality is all-inclusive and not restricted to security operatives alone, adding that security issues still persist despite their efforts due to lack of communication and collaboration between the public and security operatives.
According to him, communication barrier is a major issue affecting the war against insecurity in the state as the police is not usually involved as most people do not know the right channels to report crime.
He emphasized the need for the public to always involve security operatives whenever the need arises.
The Delta SPA Coordinator Dr Ngozi Mogbolu, who had earlier in her opening remarks welcomed stakeholders to the monthly meeting while furnishing participants with the overall objectives of the meeting; tasked them to make positive contributions that would go a long way in promoting and sustaining the already existing peace in the state.
Mrs Mogbolu, who is also the Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Youth Development, said that the purpose of the SPA platform was to enable stakeholders from the state, local and community levels to patrol and report security happenings in their domains for immediate response.
The SPA Chairman also promised to convey the dellibrated issues to the appropriate authorities for necessary actions, while appealing to the residents of the state to be security conscious and stay safe in regards to the planned nationwide protest and report any violence to the group platforms for timely intervention by the security agencies.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Delta State Traditional Rulers Council, Retired Maj. Gen. Felix Mudjakpero, commended SFCG for the initiative in the Niger Delta adding that the involvement of SFCG had tremendously assisted in lifting the burden of human management off the shoulders of monarchs in the region.
Gen. Mudjakpero, who is the Oroje of Okpe Kingdom, was represented by Obi Charles Anyasi, the traditional ruler of Idumuje Kingdom in the Aniocha North Local Government Area of the state said the meeting could not have come at a more auspicious time.
In his words, “It is coming at a time when happenings within Nigeria and particularly the Niger Delta region call for optimum engagement aimed at fostering endearing peace and stability within our region.
“Thankfully, it is hoped that the synergy arising from the collaborative engagement of the Ministry of Youth Development, SFCG, Academic Associate Peace Work and Partnership Initiative for Niger Delta will yield germane dividends.
“Our confidence is especially derived from the fact that this initiative is being coordinated by no less a formidable organisation than SFCG.
“The organisation in the last couple of years has continued to generate impressionable footprints in the area of peace and conflict resolution, especially on the firm pedestal of Alternative Dispute Resolution.’’
“As kings, we are daily encumbered with protest after protest, litigation after litigation, which is why we hold the tenets of Alternative Dispute Resolution dearly to our hearts.
“Whether we are talking of international conflicts or rumblings in the remotest villages, royal fathers can truly testify that there is scarcely a better alternative than alternative dispute resolution.
“It is also our genuine prayer that you continue to search and achieve the desired common ground in your holistic engagement for peace within our region, he said.’’
The monarch further called on governments at the federal, state and local levels to institute people-oriented economic policies that would alleviate the suffering of the masses, noting that such policies would go a long way in effectively addressing crime and criminality in the Niger Delta region.
On his part, the SFCG-Programne Manager, Joshua Chorbe while responding to the issues thanked Delta State for hosting the first SPA meeting after its formal inauguration on the 27th of June 2024 and urged the SPA to think outside the box to derive means that would address the emerging issues.
He noted that security matters are very complicated and as such there are certain advisory strategies that need to be taken by SPA to widen its network of security contacts like training of more security personnel such as the local vigilante which has been known to assist the police to combat crime rather than waiting on government.
Commenting on the risks associated with reporting crime, Mr Chorbe disclosed that Search For Common Ground in partnership with Partnership Initiative on The Niger-Delta (PIND) and others have a system called Community Monitors where issues are being reported directly and anonymously.
According to him, it is a system that helps in generating information to protect the interest and lives of community members noting that people are often victicmized for sharing sensitive information due to lack of confidentiality and trust on the part of some security operatives who are presumed to dish out information to criminals who in most cases come after the sources.
Based on these perceived risks, the SFCG Coordinator explained: “We look at those risks especially in terms of risks analysis, and we look at the issue of confidentiality, we look at the issue of trust. What we do with this information is that PIND send the data to EWER and when it is received, EWER communicates the same data to security agencies for immediate action.
Mr Chorbe however said that there are certain activities that the community members can do on their own which include; the dialogue, the sensitizations which are also some of the check-in conversations with the traditional leaders and those in authority especially at the local government level.
The SFCG Representative urged the SPA to consider addressing these issues and strategize on how best the security operatives within the Communities and LGAs can improve on confidentiality and operate within the means of professional standards; while calling on participants to support security agencies with relevant information to assist them in combating crime in the state.
The Delta State Peace Architecture (DSPA), is a special platform that targets participants from key government agencies, security agencies, civil society, media, academia, practitioners in the oil industry as well as key community leaders to brainstorm and formulate achievable actions that would curb violence and criminality in the Niger-Delta.
Established by Search For Common Ground, an international nonprofit organization that promotes peaceful resolution of conflicts and its consortiums and funded by the European Union; the platform seek to approach peace building in a non confrontational means yet achieving greater peace.
