Gov Ayade Meets IGP Baba, Seeks To Make Cross River Zero Crime Zone

EMMANUEL ULAYI

The Executive Governor of Cross River State, Prof Ben Ayade, on Tuesday met with the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, at Louis Edet House, Police Headquarters, Abuja.

Ayade said the visit was necessary to further explore modalities towards ensuring a safer Cross River.

The Governor, who congratulated the IGP over his recent appointment by President Buhari as the substantive head of the Nigeria Police, also observed that Usman Alkali Baba was a sterling cop with commensurate experience and distinctive qualities needed to police today’s Nigeria.

He reiterated that Cross River was mostly a peaceful state, adding that “making the state a zero crime zone” was one of the priorities of his administration.

Ayade further said: “Presently, we are doing massive industrialization and building critical infrastructures and for the people and the state to maximize the economic gains of these projects, security is germane. Without a proper and result-oriented security strategy, our state would not be attractive for investments. No investor would want to put their money in an insecure place”.

The Governor also highlighted the imperative of a marine and homeland security.

He recalled the #EndSARS saga, which witnessed wanton destruction of both public and private properties in the state, submitting that a more proactive policing was required to effectively check crime and criminality in the country.

Speaking, the IGP, Usman Alkali Baba, pledged to collaborate with State Government to usher in a new dawn of policing in the state.

While appreciating Governor Ayade for the onerous efforts at making Cross River safe and peaceful, he emphasized the preparedness of the police to drastically curb crime and maintain peace and order across the country.