Brave Dickson
The Kalabari Clan of the Ijaw Youth Council, has told the Rivers State Police Command that it would resist further attempt by any security agencies including the police to arrest any civilian combatant sent by the Kalabari people to secure the Emohua/Kalabari Road.
The warning was coming days after the state police command arrested some men deployed by Alhaji Dokubo Asari to secure the road.
Speaking with our correspondent, the chairman of the clan IYC, Edward Asikitams noted that “it was the inability of the police and other security agencies to secure the road that necessitated the deployment of civilian security men to safeguard the road.
“For the past four months, there has been consistent kidnapping of commuters on that road without any security help from the police nor other sister security agencies.
“Innocent passengers were being raped, tortured, killed by kidnappers who only release their victims after ransom has been paid and today that road is safe for everyone because of our men manning that road.
“Let me sound it loud and clear again, same way I told the state commissioner of police after he arrested some of our men that we will resist any further attempt to repeat arrest on our men manning that road.
“I see this arrest with the flimsy excuse the state police command was giving as political.
“General election is coming soon and permanent voter’s card collection is done at the INEC office in our LGAs for those who registered here and they want to make our road unsafe so as to disenfranchise us in the 2023 election.
“They are doing this because they know that a lot of the governorship candidates of major political parties are from Kalabari.”
Asikitams further urged the poiice to be grateful for having some illustrious sons from Kalabari who are helping to secure the road for everyone, adding that the civilians who are securing the road are not taking credit for it but rather ensuring that the road is safe for everyone.
