By Sampson Boroh
The Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo , has reiterated calls urging the Federal Government to establish a Federal Marine Safety Corps to curb the rising insecurity along the waterways across the country.
Ewhrudjakpo said the establishment of the Marine Corps is necessary to fight against sea piracy, kidnapping and other crimes particularly in the Niger Delta.
Speaking on Tuesday when a delegation from the Nigeria Police Trust Fund paid him courtesy visit in Government House, Yenagoa, Ewhrudjakpo posited that the corps will be equivalent of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
Lamenting the insecurity on the waterways, the Bayelsa Deputy Governor stressed the need for the Federal Government to expedite action on its establishment.
Ewhrudjakpo pointed out that policing the creeks of Bayelsa required a lot of logistics, noting that the state needs more support in terms of gunboats to enable the marine division of the state police command to effectively secure the creeks.
Expressing delight over the infrastructure projects earmarked by the Nigeria Police Trust Fund for Bayelsa, Ewhrudjakpo said the projects would go a long way to complement the efforts of the state government in the security sector.
“Our security challenges are more in the riverine areas and if we are able to properly police those areas, we would have done a lot to boost our security architecture.
“So, we need more gunboats to help police our rivers and rivulets and help cover where we believe are to be their (criminals) escape routes. This will also help improve our oil production.
“That is why we have been calling on the Federal Government to establish a marine safety corps just as we have the Road Safety Corps to effectively police our waterways”, he stated.
Earlier in her remarks, the leader of the team, Gladys Odegbaro, had explained that the Nigeria Police Trust Fund officials were on an inspection visit to police formations under Zone 16, which has its headquarters in Bayelsa.
