Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has raised concerns over the increasing vandalism of public infrastructure, particularly electricity transformers, which he said is undermining rural development initiatives in the state.
To address the issue, the state government announced plans to deploy personnel from the state-funded Ibom Watch Security outfit to every village.
These operatives will work closely with the police to prevent further damage to public facilities.
Governor Eno disclosed this during a courtesy visit by the newly appointed Commissioner of Police, Baba Azare, on Monday.
He lamented the financial strain caused by the repeated replacement of vandalised transformers and its impact on development efforts.
“The spate of vandalism of public facilities, especially transformers, is of great concern to us. This has cost the government a lot of resources to replace vandalised transformers while also hindering rural development efforts. The government intends to ensure that each village has at least one security operative who will serve as an eye for the Nigeria Police,” Eno said.
Eno highlighted the state’s commitment to community policing through the Ibom Watch Security initiative, which aims to enhance security at the grassroots level by providing actionable intelligence to law enforcement agencies.
“For community policing, you are aware of the Ibom Community Watch. We are raising them to enhance community policing, and we trust that they will continue to provide the police with adequate information,” the governor added.
The governor reaffirmed his administration’s dedication to maintaining a strong relationship with security agencies in the state, pledging continued support to the police to sustain peace and combat crime effectively.
“The state government has always maintained a robust working relationship with security agencies. This will continue to ensure peace and development in the state,” Eno said.
He expressed confidence in the new Commissioner of Police, noting that Azare’s prior experience as Deputy Commissioner of Operations in Akwa Ibom provides him with a strong understanding of the state’s security challenges.
In response, Commissioner Baba Azare appreciated the governor’s ongoing support for security agencies and assured him of his commitment to sustaining peace and security in collaboration with other agencies.
Governor Eno and the police leadership reiterated their joint commitment to addressing vandalism and enhancing safety in Akwa Ibom to create a more secure and development-oriented environment.
