Asuquo Cletus and Eniola Ambosege
No fewer than 80 militants operating along the Bakassi Oron waterways of Cross River State have surrendered arms and ammunition to the police following sustained non-kinetic engagements by the Cross River State Police Command.
The surrender was recorded under the ongoing arms mop-up initiative of the command and was achieved through dialogue, intelligence-led operations and confidence-building measures coordinated by Operation Okwok and other police components, in collaboration with the Cross River State Government.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Sunday Eitokpah, said the militants voluntarily laid down their arms without any use of force after embracing the state governmentโs amnesty programme.
Eitokpah said the development underscored the effectiveness of the commandโs non-kinetic policing strategy, which prioritises dialogue, strategic engagement and community collaboration in addressing security challenges.
He said, โAbout 80 repentant militants, who had been terrorising the BakassiโOron waterways, surrendered themselves alongside assorted arms and ammunition in their possession, following sustained engagement by the police and relevant stakeholders.โ
According to the statement, the former militants openly renounced violence and expressed their readiness to be rehabilitated and fully reintegrated into society as law-abiding citizens.
Items recovered during the surrender included an Expanded General Purpose Machine Gun, AK-47 ammunition, a pistol, several locally fabricated rifles with cartridges, as well as cutlasses.
The police spokesman added that all recovered arms and ammunition were being handled strictly in line with established police procedures, while the repentant individuals were being guided through appropriate rehabilitation and reintegration processes.
Commending the development, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Rashid Afegbua, praised the Cross River State Government for its support, noting that the success reinforced the Nigeria Police Forceโs shift towards intelligence-driven and people-oriented policing.
Afegbua reassured residents of the state of the commandโs resolve to consolidate the gains and sustain proactive measures aimed at ensuring the safety of lives and property across Cross River State.
