There have been cases of murder in the state. Are you aware of them? Especially the one of the Bakassi Monarch, killed a few weeks back?
When you say cases of murder, you sound rather apocalyptic. You cannot use an isolated case or incidence of homicide to allude to such general expression as cases of murder in the state. To that extent you are not correct. But having particular regards to the traditional ruler in question, I must assure you that the police are on top of the situation with a view to ensuring that the perpetrators face the full wrath of the law.
It was also rumored some months ago that some Bakassi Militants were killed by the Navy during a patrol on the high sea in the area. Are you aware of this?
You call it rumour. In security, we don’t deal with rumours, we deal with facts. If you have the facts and desire to ascertain its veracity then I might be able to proffer some answers. You need to understand that the Nigerian Navy has statutory responsibility for the safeguard of our maritime territory. In the course of patrols, if they encounter pirates and other criminal elements, they would be right to take appropriate operational actions after due recourse to the rules of engagement.
There have also been reports that car snatchers have been on duty at gun point in some parts of Calabar. Is this true?
What I am aware of, are activities associated with One-Chance criminality and not so much of car snatching. The city of Calabar is generally too saturated in terms of security for car snatching criminality to thrive. Criminals who contemplate car snatching in Calabar know they would not go far before they get caught. Apprehending car snatchers here is even made easier because we have only one major ingress and egress highway into and out of Calabar. If a criminal snatches a car, how will he move it out? By water? Again, having said that, I will tell you that generally speaking, cars may be snatched for three purposes; to purloin its content, dismembered and sold in parts or used for commission of robbery and other crimes. In some cases, for decoy or getaway operations. Neither of these are rampant here, if any. Let me reassure you that the last time I checked, Cross River State remained the safest state in Nigeria.
In less than two months from now, the National Sports Festival is going to hold in Calabar. What’s the security arrangement like?
If and when the National Sports Festivals holds here, there would be no security issues at all. In fact, among others, the reason our State won the hosting right in the first place is because of serenity, safety and security records of the state. That also explains why Calabar has become the preferred destination for most national and international events. But for the Sport Festival in particular, we have put together an elaborate and comprehensive security action plan that encapsulates surveillance, intelligence gathering, intensive patrols and static deployments at all venues of the various events and accommodation for athletes. Adequate human factor deployment in this regard would be complemented with state-of-the-art structural measures, high level supervision and monitoring. It will be one of the best organised events in Nigeria to date in terms of security.
There have been controversies surrounding the use of the military during elections. Do you support the use of soldiers during this period?
Controversy is one part of our many ways as a people. There should be no controversy about inviting the military to support civil security in the conduct of elections given the level of security threats and actual violence that often occur in some election cases.
That does not however take away the statutory duties of the police as first responders in all civil matters. Military deployment in such cases cannot therefore be thought of as an aberration altogether as long as it is deployment in aid of and subsumed under civil authority.
On the flipside, though, I’m hoping and looking to someday in the years ahead when the police in Nigeria will be in a position by way of equipment and capability to tackle all civil security challenges devoid of military involvement, so they can focus on their key primary duty, which is the defence of the country from external aggression. This has to be so in order to protect the military from undue involvement in mostly civilian affairs in line with their professional dictates.
Very soon, the various political parties are going to start campaigns. Is there a specific code of conduct, security wise, that would be given to them for violence-free campaign?
The Senator Liyel Imoke Administration places optimum priority on zero crime tolerance. And this is in all ramifications, not excluding election violence. In furtherance of the administration’s resolve to promote violence-free political activities, the fight against cultism was adopted as part of the state’s official policy. In this state, nobody takes the oath of office without the oath of renunciation of cultism. That is besides deliberate subtle exclusion of known cultists from political positions. The reason government decided to do so is because in the past, political top dogs in the state procured the services of cult groups to perpetrate violence during election. We certainly would not lower the bar of security alertness in the forth-coming political campaigns. Talking straight, I would say that our code of conduct for next election is in one straight line, to wit: those that get on the wrong side of the law will be decisively dealt with within the limit of the law. It is as simple as that.
There was this case of one Derek Maurice who was killed and sold for N11, 000 to the Anatomy Department of the University of Calabar. Can you tell us more about this matter?
The matter is under police investigation. But certainly there is no such thing as Derek Maurice being killed and sold for such amount of money to the Anatomy Department of the University of Calabar. That is highly pejorative. The press, particularly the print media has to be extremely careful about sensational reporting of issues, particularly at times like this. Reports not investigated before publication, are very dangerous and destructive. Let’s please be careful about that.
Have you been able to resolve the matter, permanently, between Usumutong and Ediba?
The matter between Usumutong and Ediba is, to say the least, one of the most challenging situations that I’ve ever handled in my present capacity. The matter has to do with land dispute that dates back to over 100 years, which unfortunately resulted in loss of lives. As you may well know, I’m from one of the communities, whereas both are of a common ancestry and extraction under the Bahumono nation. As we speak, peace has returned to both communities to the Glory of God. But credit must be given to the Paramount Ruler of Ugep, Obol Ubi Ujong, not to mention the subtle dexterity of Governor Liyel Imoke, Deputy Governor Efiok Cobham, Elder Bolaji Anani and Goddy Etta Etta. The present Service Commanders of the Police, Army and the Department of State Services in the State must be highly commended for their roles in resolving the crises; not leaving out significant elders and youths of both communities. We shall continue to appeal to both communities to embrace peace so that development does not elude them.
Do you think the Federal Government is doing enough to cage the Boko Haram insurgents given some of the reversals the military has experienced in the last few weeks, especially the occupation of Gwoza and recently Bama?
I think the federal government has put in substantial efforts into the fight against Boko Haram. Nonetheless, more needs to be done, and can be done. Suffice it to say that it would appear that measures taken to tackle the menace were rather reactive instead of proactive.
Taking reactive measures against a group that applies ideological sentiments and asymmetrical tactics can be extremely difficult. Insurgency is not like conventional security operation or warfare where you have known and clearly defined enemy and rules of engagement. It is therefore not exactly fair to conclude that government is experiencing reversals in the war against Boko Haram.
Let me also note here that there are political issues to contend with when dealing with insurgents. Are you, for instance, not aware that some politicians have been disparaging and even clamoring for the prosecution of the immediate past Chief of Army Staff of the Nigerian Army for the way he dealt with Boko Haram insurgents? It is situations like that and the politicisation of security issues, that make the war even more difficult. But by God’s grace, the war would be won somehow soon.
Do you have a security blueprint for the state as you prepare to round off your stay as the S.A on Security Matters?
Yes, of course. The state’s security strategy is centered on one basic approach. This approach is reciprocity of citizen’s responsibility to government and governance in reflection of the alternative security doctrine. Engrained in this is citizen’s welfare and enlistment in the state’s security ideology and architecture which propels prompt reporting of security and emergency situations for quick intervention.
Part of this architecture is integrated in our emergency strategy. It encapsulates intelligence and deployment of physical security to ensure target hardening. A very rugged surveillance technology is part of the blue print, and has been kept in abeyance for the time being because of competing needs.
What is your plan after leaving office, politically?
I get very lethargic when it comes to inordinate ambition. It won’t be so difficult to cross the bridge when I get there. What more can I say, my future depends entirely on God and His Divine providence. I see myself as a professional in the midst of politicians.
I will either go into big time security consultancy practice and authorship or consider accepting another opportunity for public service if found fit and so called upon. Meanwhile, I desire to finish well and strong in my present call to the service of my people as a public officer.
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