Deputy Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly and member representing Ethiope East Constituency, Rt Hon Arthur Akpowowo, has appealed to residents of Abraka to shelve their planned protests scheduled for Monday and Tuesday over heightening insecurity in their area.
Recall that protestors stormed major roads in Abraka last week over what they described as heightened insecurity in Abraka while calling on the state government and the police to intervene.
The lawmaker, who paid a visit on Saturday to the Abraka Police Division, said he was in the community because of the heightened insecurity challenge in the area.
Speaking to Oasis Magazine exclusively on Saturday, he recalled an earlier visit he made along the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), DCP Aina Adesola, on the 22nd of July, 2024 to the palace of the Ovie of Oruarivie-Abraka kingdom, HRM Akpomeyoma Majoroh Ojeta II, where he made a call on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and the Commissioner of Police to address the issue of herders marauding between the boundary of Abraka and Obiaruku.
He said during the visit, the member representing Ukwuani Constituency, Ogbuefi Chukwudi Dafe, was also present.
According to Akpowowo, the visit last year was also to sensitise the community that the state government, through the Commissioner of Police, will take decisive steps to flush out those marauders who hide under the guise of cattle rearing.
In his words, “There is a law in Delta State in force since 2001 that nobody should rear cattle on foot,” adding, “The business of cattle rearing on foot is now illegal. Some communities like Egbo have taken advantage of this law to stop cattle rearing in their area by peacefully chasing out much out of their area.”
He continued: “Why we are here today is that there are cases of heightened insecurity as it relates to kidnapping. As we speak, hunters in conjunction with the police rescued 15 kidnap victims from young cattle rearers who exchanged bullets just yesterday,” saying the team of police and hunters was able to chase them away, just as he encouraged them to continue to record victory over criminals.
“We know the police are understaffed and will not be able to cover all the bushes in the area. We need the cooperation of the locals to tackle criminals and indigenes to ensure that information is given to the police to respond to any threats,” he said.
He also disclosed that the police have also informed him of their challenges which he promised to relay to the governor.
“The protests they did already have been heard loud and clear, and the planned protests for Monday and Tuesday are not necessary. I am here to plead with them not to protest for it not to be hijacked and result in a breakdown of law and order,” he added.
He stated further that he has spoken to the chairman of Ethiope East Local Government, Hon. Augustine Ogedegbe, and there are plans to equip local hunters and vigilantes.
“We know the modus operandi of these criminals and we will get them down alongside their local collaborators soon. Either they change or leave the community.
“They cannot make dwellers in this community live in fear or stop them from going to their farms. They are kidnapping farmers and this can cause food insecurity. They must go elsewhere. The area will now be unsafe for them,” the lawmaker stated.
