Gov Eno Seeks Cooperation Of Akwa Ibom Residents Over Abducting

AKWA IBOM state governor, Pastor Umo Eno has vowed not to allow kidnapping challenge rearing its ugly head in the state to continue and urged the citizens to report suspicious people in their communities.

Eno who spoke while fielding questions from newsmen at a media interaction, Tuesday evening as part of activities lined up for his one year anniversary in office, expressed concern that some communities are harbouring perpetrators of the kidnappings in the state.

He stressed that his administration was determined to tackle the challenge head-on and would spare nothing to achieve that in its avowed commitment to sustain peace and security in the state.

His words: “I can tell you that for every kidnapping that has happened in the state, we have traced, arrested and confronted people. Security agencies need relevant information, adequate intelligence from members of the public.

“And I want to say this here without any fear of contradiction that some communities are harbouring these people(kidnappers). I can tell you that as a governor and I am not joking about it.

“Some people see it as a business. And those criminal live with in the communities. But very soon some arrests will be made that will shock people”

The governor stressed the need for people to be security conscious, and be able to know people who are living among them and what they are doing for a living.

“So what I want to tell Akwa Ibom people is that you report to us suspicious people in your communities. Let’s ask about their livelihood; let’s investigate them in order to understand what they are doing. But we are taking the fight to them in those creeks”

He advised parents to always ensure that they know their children’s whereabouts, stressing, “because when the fight starts I know there will be casualties, so people need to be very careful. In fact we cannot allow this to continue”

Also responding to a question on his food security programmes, Governor Eno said despite success of the voucher programme, it was regrettable for Akwa Ibom people to depend on stable food supplied from outside the state.

According to him, “a people that cannot feed themselves are no people at all. That’s why we directed that every first and third Fridays everyone should go to farm”

Governor Eno earlier in his remarks said his administration would continue to work together with the media and also welcome constructive criticisms that would help his team to do better.

“We have tried in the last one year to stay within the ARISE Agenda. It’s just one year. Though we are not the ones to say we have done well, but I can say without any shadow of doubt that I have served Akwa Ibom in the last one year with the integrity of the heart.

“The team that God has raised for us has done its best. We are just servants and so we present ourselves this evening to interact with the media with trust that we will continue to work together.

“And even when you criticize us, it should be constructive, it should be something that will help us to do better because what we want for our state is actually to serve our people better and give them the best.

“We have shown you that we are ready to serve. We’ll work with everyone across board, without any exception.

It is our stake and everyone has a stake in the state.

“Even if you’re not from here, but you are living here and doing business here you are a stakeholder and we owe it to you to be accountable. That’s why I make myself available most of the time to meet and talk to people and that’s what we will continue to do” Eno said

He stressed that if they should look at whether he they serving the people or themselves so far, “for me I can answer trruthfully that to the best of his ability I have served Akwa Inom with all of my heart “