By Musa Yaro, Calabar
The Cross River State governor, Prof. Ben Ayade has constituted communities in the 18 local government areas of the state, following the spate of criminal activities by hoodlums that have resorted to kidnapping, plunder, and murder.
A statement by the state Commissioner for Homeland Security, Wogor Umari made available to newsmen in Calabar on Saturday, said the committees were “to compliment government in its constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property.
“These committees which shall come under the strict supervision of the Hon. Commissioner Homeland Security, would draw membership from critical stakeholders,” the statement reads.
According to the statement, all leaders of youth council in the LGAs, Divisional Police Officers, Heads of departments of state services, as well as the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, are members of the committee.
The four terms of reference are:
“Monitor all flash points of criminal activities in the local government areas.
“Report suspected incidents of terrorism to the committee on daily basis if any and give daily report to the chairman and the security agencies.
“Fish out criminal elements based on reasonable suspicion and hand over to the police for investigation.
“Build intelligence gathering by working hand in hand with the Police and other sister agencies to rid-off the forest of criminal elements whose stock in trade is to unleash violence.”
Umari called for the cooperation of all council chairmen, traditional heads, youth councils as well as the Police and other sister agencies in maintaining security across the state.
Recently, the state commissioner for women affairs, Gertrude Njah, was abducted and a former Minister and governorship candidate of the People’s Redemption Party in the state, Usani Usani, as well as the chief of staff to the governor, Martins Orim, escaped death by the hoodlums.
