Rivers State Deputy Governor Dr. Mrs. Ipalibo Harry Banigo has reiterated the State Government’s determination to totally terminate terror attacks on our marine corridor.
The Deputy Governor stated this during a meeting with the Bille Kingdom Chiefs Council at the Government House in Port Harcourt, on Friday 19th July, 2019.
Dr. Banigo said Governor Wike is assigning 10 new gun boats to the water ways in addition to the ones we had provided before as part of deliberate efforts to end these attacks once and for all.
“We have to deal with these young men. Wherever they are we must get a lasting solution. As community leaders we need your assistance, we need to get intelligence on their locations. Bring the information personally to me. You need to trust me and trust the Governor” she stressed.
She said, following the attacks in June the Governor deployed more logistics in terms of funds to the Army, JTF and the Navy along the water ways, including Bille, Bakana and Tombia to quell the attacks and the area became quiet before the unfortunate incidence in July.
Dr. Banigo who condoned with families that lost their loved ones in the unfortunate attacks said the Chairman of the Degema Local Government Council has been directed to reach out to them.
The Deputy Governor urged the Bille People to continue to remain peaceful to attract more development projects to the area, noting their peaceful disposition attracted some projects to the area during the Governor’s first tenure.
Also speaking, the Member Representing Degema Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Anthony Soberekon said the State Government has been working relentlessly to bring a lasting peace into the area and thanked the Deputy Governor for inviting the Chiefs to the meeting.
In his response, the Chairman of the Bille Kingdom Chiefs Council, High Chief Benneth Okpokiye-Dokubo, who expressed gratitude to the State Government for its concern about the welfare of the Bille Kingdom, assured the Deputy Governor that they would co- operate with the State Government to put an end to this menace.
