Executive Chairman of Warri North Local Government Council, Smart Asekutu, has solicited the support and cooperation of communities and other stakeholders to tackle the challenge of insecurity on waterways in the area.
Asekutu, who made this call in Koko, headquarters of Warri North Local Government Area, at a meeting with community leaders and other stakeholders recently, stressed the need for safety and security along the waterways and solicited collective and collaborative effort from all.
Asekutu reiterated Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa’s call for an all-inclusive security strategy that will guarantee the safety of lives and property, adding that collective effort was necessary to ensure a successful fight against insecurity in the council.
On the need for collaboration and inclusiveness, the Council boss noted that it will engender synergy among the riverine communities who have good knowledge of the terrains of the area and can provide useful information for the security agencies to be proactive and nip crimes in the bud.
He said: “Warri North is known for its hospitality…, but when some elements are trying to invade our midst because we are accommodating, we must collectively resist any of such attempts by providing useful and timely information to all our mainstream security agencies.
“When every one of us involves ourselves in disseminating useful information to security agencies, we shall all have a safe community, state and a safer country.”
The Warri North Council boss commended the efforts of the waterways officials and security agencies for ensuring free navigation of residents to the various communities through their concerted efforts in raiding the hideouts of miscreants in the area.
A cross section of stakeholders who spoke with The New Diplomat correspondent, commended the efforts of the council chairman whom they said, since his resumption of office, has ensured peace and security of the waterways in Warri North.
A notorious sea pirate and kidnap kingpin, Mutu Mone, aka MK, who has terrorized communities in Warri North for some months now, was arrested in Osogbo, Osun State, to where he escaped after a gun duel with security forces in Egbema area of the council.
The New Diplomat learnt that he is currently held in Oporoza where he is assisting security agencies in investigation.
