DECLARE STATE OF EMERGENCY IN A'IBOM, ABIA, RIVERS, MAN URGES FG

Worried by the rising crime wave in the Niger Delta region, the Federal Government has been called upon to declare a state of emergency in Akwa Ibom, Abia and Rivers States. The call was to prevent total breakdown of law and order before the 2011 general elections.

The Chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Cross River and Akwa Ibom States chapters, Obong (Elder) Iniobong S. Jackson, who made the callduring a chat with journalists in Calabar, said 'the state of insecurity is affecting the business and investment in these states much more than we were told. These communities are longer attractive to investors due to the spate of crimes such as armed robbery and kidnapping, now prevalent.'

Obong Jackson, who is a PDP stalwart in Akwa Ibom State and Board member of Nigerian Export Promotion Council, argued, 'there is much security threats in these three states which are the economic heartbeats of the South-South and South East. Therefore, it constitutes a national threat capable of affecting the entire spectrum of the country.'

The MAN helmsman, who applauded the Federal Government for swiftly taking over the security situation in Abia, said, 'Insecurity is a general problem which affects government officials and those in the opposition. This state of affair is impacting negatively on our state as our business partners and investors are now very scared to come to the state, preferring instead to move to nearby safer states.'

According to the former chairman of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in Akwa Ibom State, 'A lot of respected investors that I knew have raised alarm about the state of insecurity especially in Abia and Akwa Ibom States. They are thus advising international business partners to beware of the state due to the increasing rate of crime, particularly kidnapping.'

He decried the high level sycophancy in Akwa Ibom State politics, which disallows people from expressing their opinion about the security situation, preferring to sing the praises of the governor for selfish reasons. He advised government to step up action in order to stem rising wave of crime in the state. He said it was wrong for government to negotiate with criminals and kidnappers. to the point of planning to offer amnesty.