FROM IKHILI EBALU, BENIN CITY
New Edo State Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika said yesterday that there will not be reprisal attacks arising from the killing of 16 hunters in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area.
He gave the assurance during his visit to the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Edo State Council.
Mr Agbonika said the governor has done a lot in dousing the tension that would have arisen from the killing by leading a delegation to the north to see the families of the deceased.
“I can tell you that a lot of measures have been taken about the Uromi case and we can say that, we are not expecting reprisal attacks in respect of the incident.
“Governor Monday Okpebholo has done a lot. When I first came, we went to Uromi together. Before then, he went to Kano State to console the people and ask them to talk to their people in Edo State not to carry out any attack and as a matter of fact, I can tell you that because of his visit, he succeeded in convincing the governor of Kano State to come to Edo State.
“The deputy governor of Kano State paid a visit to Edo State and on behalf of the government of Kano State, we went to Uromi, we spoke with all the stakeholders including the Hausa community. You could tell that, that visit alone and all the actions that the governor took appeased the people.
“We can be sure that there is going to be peace and in addition to that, I felt that we could not just stay in Uromi alone, we also have neighbouring communities that have a high number of northern settlers.”
Agbonika, said, “So, I stayed back and I went around all the areas. I went up to Igara. I went to Auchi and I met the communities there and of course, I told them that we must continue to live in peace.”
He added that he was assured by their leaders that they are going to continue to live in peace. So, I think that problem is solved”, Agbonika said.
While assuring the people of adequate policing, he called for the volunteering of information that could help the police stem the tide of crime and criminality in the state.
The commissioner added that, as part of my strategies, I am pushing out all the police men in the state. Let everybody go and patrol, and go to the criminal hideouts.
