Uduak Odudoh makes case for re-establishment of police stations in Ikot Abasi

BY EMMANUEL AKPAN

The member representing Ikot Abasi/Eastern Obolo in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Hon. Uduak Odudoh has moved a motion for the re-establishment of police stations in Ekpene Enin-Ukan village in Edemaya Clan and Esene Village, Ikpa Nung Asang Clan in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area. 

The motion, tagged ‘RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF THE POLICE STATIONS IN EKPENE ENIN-UKAN VILLAGE, EDEMAYA CLAN AND ESENE VILLAGE, IKPA NUNG ASANG CLAN, ALL IN IKOT ABASI L.G.A’, was moved during last Tuesday’s plenary session of the House of the Assembly.

Hon. Uduak Odudoh, who spoke through Order 111 Rules 1 & 2 of the Standing Orders of the House, said Ikot Abasi, formerly part of the famed Opobo Kingdom, already popular as the site of famous boat yard, seat of a British consulate and part of the late King Jaja’s area, had been on the world map from time immemorial and the women’s uprising against Nigeria’s colonial rulers in 1929 further pushed it into prominence.

He said Ikot Abasi Local Government Area hosts Akwa Ibom State owned Ibom Power Plant which is a 250MW Open Cycle Gas Turbine (OCGT) power station and the Federal Government owned Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria and these are key industrial establishments of the State and the Federal Government.

Odudoh, who noted that the reason for his motion is because Ikot Abasi Local Government Area, an oil producing area abutting unto the Atlantic Ocean, is situated in the Niger Delta area, an area prone to militancy and high seas piracy, maintained that there is a great need of adequate police presence in the area to combat incidences of crime, protect public facilities and private lives and property, prevent disturbance of private and public peace and facilitate the arrest or prosecution of offenders.

Furthermore, the House of Assembly member said the area is an expansive territory which according to the 2006 National census has a population of 132,023 (and is estimated to have risen to over 200,000 today), the presence of just one police station comprising less than police officers to police the area is grossly inadequate to cope with the constantly rising crime rates prevalent in a major city like Ikot Abasi and surrounding coastal settlements.

In his words, “The Internationally accepted minimum ratio of police to citizens is 1:500, the Ikot Abasi situation is pathetic as the police citizens ratio is less than 1:2000 which does not make for effective policing of the area and the fact that there is only one police station in the Local Government Area hampers expeditious mobilization and deployment in times of crisis or emergencies.”

The motion reads in parts, “There has been the existence of a police posts in Ekpene Enin Ukan village in Edemaya Clan in Ikot Abasi LG.A from 1975 to 2005 and in Esene community between 1979 to the nineties which police post were built through community efforts and their buildings had since become dilapidated and consequently abandoned by the Nigeria Police Force. The existence of those police posts contributed immensely to the low incidences of crime recorded then as opposed to the situation now whereby criminals and other miscreants operate with impunity in the area in the knowledge that the police lack the manpower and equipment to respond effectively to their criminal forays.”

Hon. Uduak Odudoh however stressed that residents of Ikot Abasi L.G.A are citizens of the Federal Government of Nigeria  and that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria declares in section 12 (2) (b) that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.

He pointed out that though building of a police station is the duty of the Federal Government, Governor Udom Emmanuel, being the Chief Security Officer of the State, should not ignore the security implications of a potentially volatile area of the Niger Delta region being grossly under policed more so as it is common knowledge that the Akwa Ibom State Government has repeatedly assisted and partnered the Nigeria Police Force in fighting crime in other Local Government Areas  of the State and has provided several utility vehicles and security gadgets to the police.       

The lawmaker however moved that Governor Udom Emmanuel, as the Chief Security Officer of Akwa Ibom State, should take steps to ensure that the Nigeria Police re-establish stations in Ekpene Enin-Ukan village, Edemaya Clan and Esene village, Ikpa Nung Asang Clan, all in Ikot Abasi L.G.A, and that Inspector General of Police ensures the existence of adequate police stations in Ikot Abasi L.G.A as well as efficient and viable police presence capable of arresting the skyrocketing crime rate in Ikot Abasi. However, the matter was referred to the House Committee on Youth and Security for further consideration and be reported back to the House in the next plenary.