The Bonny Women Forum (BWF) and the Nigerian Army (NA) say they will work together to checkmate the increase in crime rate and gender-based violence in Bonny Kingdom in Rivers State, Nigeria.

The two organizations arrived at this consensus during a courtesy visit by a delegation of the BWF led by the Woman Leader of Bonny Kingdom, Amaopuorubo Helen Jack-Wilson Pepple on the Commanding Officer of the 146 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Lt. Col. Andrew Wuyep, on Wednesday, November 17, 2021, in his office in Bonny.

The Nigerian Army’s 146 Battalion also serves as the land component of the Joint Military Task Force, Operation Delta Safe (JTF OPDS) in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Pepple expressed the readiness of the women to explore areas of partnership with the various security agencies in Bonny LGA to curb the increase in cultism, drug use and abuse, teenage pregnancies, gender-related violence, sea piracy and other vices plaguing Bonny Island.

“We are going round the security agencies within the island because as mothers we have some concerns that are really eating us up and we know that anything we have to do must be legit. And we know you will grant us a listening ear as fathers and those who have come to operate in Bonny, who want to operate in a peaceful environment.”

“We want to thank you first for the good work you are doing. I usually see your patrol vans minutes after any incident on the island; that is to show that you people are really working. So, thank you for the good work you are doing.”

“It is this partnership we seek because we know we can’t do it alone. How do we ameliorate the sufferings of the youths on the island? How do we relegate most of these ills that is ravaging the community to the background? We need to partner, that is why we want to see the security agencies as much as possible and chart a way forward.”

She noted that a functional synergy between the military, police and paramilitary agencies operating on the island was critical to achieving a reduction in crime rate, achieving a pushback on proliferation of cultism and cult-related violence, incidences of teenage pregnancies, drug abuse and fight against sea piracy, appealing to the security agencies to be forthcoming in their response to the moves by the women.

Responding, the Commanding Officer of the 146 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Lt. Col. Andrew Wuyep expressed delight over the visit, stating that it was a welcome development as the security agencies in the LGA were already positively disposed to engaging with relevant stakeholders in their efforts at assuring security in the island.

He enumerated the various successes the Nigerian Army and the joint security services in the area have achieved in the fight against crime and social vices, assuring that the trend will be sustained, especially as the yuletide season sets in.

“First and foremost, thank you very much for this visit. You are our mothers, and thank God for how you narrowed down the scope of issues.

“As regarding drugs and cultism, we’re partnering with the NDLEA, and each time we make arrests with respect to drug related matters, we call them. We have been working with the Police and we refer criminal matters to them to prosecute in the court. On the sea, we also carry out patrols in the night, and during the day we patrol, working in consonance with the Navy.”

He promised to give attention to the key issues raised by the Bonny Kingdom Woman Leader, stressing that the Army will continue to be professional in its engagements and efforts at entrenching a peaceful and secure environment in Bonny LGA and beyond.

“As regards these areas that you have highlighted, I assure you that you will see our action. We are hoping that Bonny will be more beautiful. We will not take things for granted, we will not do sentiments; we will continue to do things from a very professional point of view.”

“So, Ma’am, by the grace of God you will see changes. We are not promising heaven and earth; we are saying that we will work as military personnel to ensure that there is peace and security in Bonny Island.”