Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno has reiterated his commitment to ensuring optimum security and safety of lives and properties in the State.

The Governor gave this reassurance through his Deputy, Akon Eyakenyi, on Thursday, October 12, 2023 during the flag-off of Exercise Still Waters 111 in Essien Udim, Akwa Ibom State.

He explained that the establishment of the Ministry of Internal Security and Waterways in the State by his administration is to solidify the already existing ties between the government and the security agencies, particularly, in the aspect of sharing intelligence.

“As you are already aware, we have established for the first time, a full-fledged Ministry of Internal Security and Waterways, headed by your retired colleague, Brigadier General Koko Essien.”

He explained that Exercise Still Waters 111 was a well-thought-out security decision aimed at not only solving the problem of insecurity but that of employment as well as the plan is to conscript not less than five thousand individuals across the state into “The neighbourhood watch” in order to curb cases of kidnapping and cultism in the state.

“We have concluded plans to recruit over five thousand people in the state to form the Neighbourhood Watch, which is a grassroots-based initiative; these people will provide human intelligence that will help us track and deal decisively with potential threats to public peace.”

The Commander, 2 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Kenneth Chigbu explained that the decision to make Essien Udim the operational base of the exercise was due to the threat posed by the Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB) in the area.

He explained that Exercise Still Waters 111 is an initiative of the Nigerian Army to train security personnel in the state on joint operations and the conduct of internal security operations and explained that other operational bases will be established in Ikot Abasi, Ikot Ekpene, Itu, Obot Akara, Oron and Ukanafun local government areas from where the security agents will patrol other parts of the State.