Engage ex-militants to address kidnapping, piracy – Esang Bassey

By Ejim Michael
Kanempress News
25th February 2024

The President General of Oro Development Union, has urged government to seek audience with the ex-militants, who have expressed willingness to stop their nefarious activities.

This is amid the incessant cases of sea piracy and kidnapping at the coastal communities in Oron, Akwa Ibom State, Southern Nigeria.

Sir Esang Nsa Bassey said government particularly Akwa Ibom State government to seek audience with the ex-militants.

Bassey also expressed dismay at the delay in the realization of Ibaka deep seaport, among other issues.

The Federal government had in 2013 proposed to construct a bridge for Oron-Calabar River, what is the update?

Assording to him, actually, the contract for the construction of the bridge was awarded in 2013 under the leadership of former President Goodluck Jonathan without funding the project. We hope that the present Federal government will mobilize contractors to complete the bridge. It’s about 13.5km. The bridge when completed will ease movement from the South South region to the North East region of the country and boost the economy. Even the people of Northern Cross River will equally benefit. We urge the federal government to make funding arrangements immediately. Oron remains a coastal town and a Nigeria window to other countries such as Cameroon, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, among others.

” So we want the federal government to reactivate that project, resolve what held it back. They would have signed the funding agreement but there came the issue of alignment where the bridge should start and where it should stop, so we want them to speedily resolve what was the problem. Also we have the issue of our seashores being constantly washed away; the federal government, since it is their duty, should protect our shorelines so that it will not go beyond what we are having at the moment,” he said.

“Is there any problem between Akwa Ibom State government and Oro nation because Uyo, Nsit Atai, Okobo road have remained uncompleted for many years unlike other road projects?

As a people, we don’t have any problem with the Akwa Ibom State government. Since 1999, the five local governments in Oro have been supporting the state government even up to this moment but I can’t understand why we’ve been marginalized and our road remains like that up till this moment. I will say the present administration is trying to do something about it, until they do it, it is what it is. The truth is that unless you develop Oro the whole Akwa Ibom State remains undeveloped. Thank God that the state government is trying to do something on parts of the roads. While the state government is doing that, we call on the federal government to work on the trunk A road- Oron-Uyo Ikot-Ekpene-Aba. The portion between Aba Ikot Ekpene is under construction but Uyo Oron, Ikot Ekpene Axis of trunk A road should be awarded to good contractors and the project completed as soon as possible, it is something that will boost the economy of the area,” Bassey said.

He said insecurity has become a problem all over the country. We know that it is getting high in Oron, a once bubbling community and market in Oron is now a ghost town due to the activities of these people.

“When I assumed office, I had a meeting with the ex-militants in this area, they paid me a courtesy visit and issues of insecurity, sea piracy, kidnapping were raised and they (ex-militants) assured me that they would work with me to ensure that insecurity is addressed. If you look at other parts of the country, the governments are using them (ex-militants) to maintain peace by giving them contracts to protect the area as well as pipelines.”

So, why is our state government not adopting that? Why is our state government refusing to speak with these ex-militants who agreed to stop militancy and incessant kidnapping in Oron? They said they need the government to assist them in terms of funding and engage them. I use the opportunity to call on the Akwa Ibom State government to address the issues of ex-militants in Oron so as to curb the insecurity issues bedeviling the area,” Bassey said.