Service Commander’s in Rivers State, led by the Commissioner of Police and heads of various security agencies, held a strategic stakeholder engagement in Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas (LGAs) on Saturday 10 May, 2025.
The meeting was part of ongoing efforts directed by the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral (rtd) Ibok Ete Ibas, to enhance security and safeguard critical infrastructure across the state.
The delegation included top officials from the Department of State Services (DSS), Nigerian Navy Ship Pathfinder, Nigerian Army 6 Division Garrison, Nigerian Air Force 115 Special Operations Group, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Speaking during the meeting, Rivers State Commissioner of Police, CP Oluebenga Adepoju, emphasized the collective responsibility of protecting national assets, particularly in areas rich in crude oil and pipelines.
“The safety of these assets and the protection of lives and property are vital to national and local development,” he stated, urging collaboration between local authorities and the public.
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Administrator of Andoni LGA, Atajit Francis, welcomed the delegation, expressing the region’s commitment to peace and development. He also decried long-standing marginalization of the Oro-Obolo ethnic areas, despite their significant contributions to Nigeria’s economy.
Youth leader and Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) representative, Bethel Philip Sampson, raised alarm over pirate attacks in riverine communities and requested the deployment of the Joint Task Force (JTF) to Ajakaja and Oyorokoto. He also called on oil companies to establish vocational centers and improve power supply for fish preservation.
Other community representatives highlighted pressing needs, including dilapidated schools, lack of portable water, inadequate healthcare facilities, and insufficient police presence.
His Royal Highness Benson Egwenre, Oruk XVII of Okaan-Ama, called for a Federal Area Command in Ngo, support for local vigilantes, and stronger enforcement of corporate social responsibility (CSR) by oil companies.
In Opobo/Nkoro LGA, the local administrator acknowledged the security challenges and praised the forum as an opportunity for open dialogue. Traditional and youth leaders from the area reported issues including piracy, burglary, drug abuse, and the absence of functioning health and market infrastructure.
Youth representative Victor Jaja proposed a neighborhood security model and called for empowerment programs beyond short-term financial aid.
Representatives of women’s groups and corps members also presented requests for improved power supply, healthcare, education, and welfare facilities.
The service Commander’s conducted inspection visits to key facilities, including the General Hospital and schools in Ngo, the Corps members’ lodges, and the roadside market in Nkoro.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Community Affairs, Patrick Ndukwe, urged communities to formally submit names of oil companies operating in their areas along with documented complaints, assuring them of government’s commitment to addressing their concerns.
The visits form part of a broader state initiative to reinforce local security, encourage community engagement, and ensure sustainable development in vulnerable LGAs.
