By Okoi Obono-Obla
Security Leadership in Cross River State:
I do not believe a Governor needs to have direct control of federal security agencies before he can organize the security of his State to stem insecurity and tackle local crimes such as kidnapping. Before the present Governor of Cross River State, Senator Bassey Edet Otu, the security situation in the State was in dire straits. It had deteriorated so badly that the city of Calabar became a haven and cesspool for kidnapping for ransom, armed robbery, crude oil bunkering, and piracy. These crimes thrived largely because of Calabar’s proximity to the Gulf of Guinea and its role as a gateway to the numerous creeks of the Niger Delta — a rugged and difficult terrain.
Upon his inauguration, Governor Otu appointed a highly intelligent and thorough professional, a retired Major General, as his Senior Special Adviser. He also appointed a retired senior Naval officer, a retired State Security Service Director, and a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police as Special Advisers for the three senatorial districts of the State. Together, they confronted these criminal syndicates and flushed them out. Today, kidnapping no longer occurs in Calabar or other parts of the State.
Governor Bassey did not fold his hands and wait for the federal government to take charge of security, nor did he remain helpless, arguing that he was not in control of his State’s security. Every State’s civil service has a department responsible for security, and any serious-minded Governor can rely on this structure to fight crime in partnership and collaboration with federal security agencies deployed to the State.
Therefore, the excuse of Governor Seyi Makinde and other Governors for their lackadaisical attitude towards maintaining security and fighting local crimes such as kidnapping and even banditry is not tenable. It smacks of abdication and shrinking of responsibility. What are these Governors doing with the humongous amounts of money they draw every month as security votes — funds that are not even subject to audit oversight? Some of these Governors should learn from their colleague in Cross River State, a State that is particularly vulnerable to security breaches because it shares a land boundary with the Republic of Cameroon and a marine boundary with the Gulf of Guinea, making it prone to maritime crimes such as sea piracy.
In conclusion, the Cross River example proves that decisive leadership, strategic use of resources, and collaboration with federal agencies can restore peace and stability. Governors who fail to act cannot hide behind excuses; responsibility for securing lives and property rests squarely on their shoulders.
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