By Daniel Agbor
In what can best be described as a moment of consensus ad idem, a meeting of minds, the Akamkpa Local Government Council Hall became a convergence point of authority, tradition, faith and community on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, as the Chairman of Akamkpa Local Government Council, Hon. (Ophot) Felix Akposi KSJI, in concert with the Cross River State Security Adviser South, retired Navy Commander Patrick Bassey Odiong, convened a high-stakes annual security summit that transcended the boundaries of routine governance.
The summit, themed “Strengthening Security Systems to Foster Culture of Peace and Resilient Communities,” brought together heads of security agencies, traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth representatives, women groups and other critical stakeholders, all united under a single imperative: a safe, drug-free, crime-free and harmoniously coexisting Akamkpa Local Government Area.
PRIMUS INTER PARES: The Chairman Sets the Tone:
Addressing the assembly with characteristic warmth and resolve, Chairman Felix Akposi opened the floor with gratitude to the Almighty, invoking blessings upon Governor His Excellency Sen. Apostle Dr. Bassey Edet Otu, his team, and the people of Akamkpa, a people he described not as passive recipients of governance but as active co-architects of their own security.
“Every administration is not a stand alone but works in synergy with the people,” the Chairman declared, echoing the Governor’s guiding philosophy of ‘People First’ — a mantra that, he emphasised, is not merely rhetorical but a lived reality being felt across the state and palpably so in Akamkpa.
He noted with pride that the current administration has presided over an unprecedented season of peace, a feat not witnessed in over sixteen years. “There is peace, and calmness as we treat every security concern seriously, nipping them in the bud once it is discovered,” he said, commending the gallantry of security operatives and the spirit of communis consensus, common consensus, that binds the council, traditional institutions, faith-based groups and all stakeholders.
Yet, the Chairman was candid about the res angusta domi, the tight straits of domestic constraints, particularly the absence of operational vehicles, motorbikes suited for difficult terrains, and other logistical resources, which continue to hamper the effectiveness of security operatives in the field. “This is central and teething,” he remarked, calling for urgent intervention.
AUDITA ET VISA: Security Agencies Present Their Briefings:
In what amounted to a comprehensive status quo ante, a full account of the present state of affairs, heads of all security agencies in Akamkpa LGA presented detailed situational briefings. Chief among the presenters was the representative of the Commissioner of Police, Area Commander Mr. Baba Ettah, alongside the head of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, SP Osim-Ekpe, as well as representatives from the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
Their presentations centred on inter-agency synergy, intelligence gathering and sharing, while also laying out frank assessments of prevailing challenges and proffering constructive suggestions. The tone throughout was not of despair but of determined operatives committed to their officium, their sworn duty, despite operational shortfalls.
VIVA VOCE: SSA South Odiong Gives Assurance;
State Security Adviser South, retired Navy Commander Patrick Bassey Odiong, responded to the presentations with the measured authority of an experienced security professional. He began by commending the candour and proactiveness of the operatives, stressing that the challenges they raised were not theoretical, they were in situ, tested and confirmed on the ground.
“I share in all the concerns you have all raised here; this further proves that you are working. What you have said here are not imaginative but practically proven cases which are tested and confirmed,” Odiong stated.
In a special commendation that drew visible appreciation from the hall, Commander Odiong singled out Chairman Akposi, noting that his hands-on approach, responding physically and logistically to security incidents, sets Akamkpa apart from the 17 other local government areas in Cross River State. “Akamkpa always takes the lead in matters of security across the 18 LGAs in the state,” he affirmed.
He pledged that all documented challenges would be escalated with urgency, assuring that the state government would not allow logistical constraints to become a casus belli, a reason for failure, for those who risk their lives daily in service of public safety.
VOX REGIS: The Paramount Ruler Speaks;
The Paramount Ruler of Akamkpa, His Royal Majesty Ophot, Dr. Amb. Agbor Ewa Ebani, brought the weight of traditional authority to the occasion. Thanking Commander Odiong for ensuring the summit held as scheduled, the monarch emphasised that the gathering served a dual purpose: it reinforced the sacred responsibilities of traditional rulers as custodians of culture and community, while also providing an educational platform that sharpened their understanding of evolving security dynamics.
“We will sit back, discuss and implement all the ideas and propositions presented to us today,” the royal father pledged, a commitment rooted in the understanding that bonum commune, the common good, is indivisible: what affects one community casts its shadow on all.
FIDES ET RATIO: The Religious Voice;
Archbishop David Asuquo Anyawaraa, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Coordinator for Akamkpa, added the dimension of spiritual counsel to the discourse. He implored parents, traditional rulers and other stakeholders to invest actively in the moral upbringing of the youth, noting that the home and the church remain the first schools of character.
In what was perhaps the most philosophically resonant contribution of the day, the Archbishop invoked prayer as the summum bonum, the highest good, in confronting the challenges posed by wayward youth and moral drift. He called for continuous engagement as the catalyst for positive transformation, urging parents to encourage their children’s active participation in church life as a bulwark against social vices.
RES PUBLICA: Other Critical Concerns Raised:
The summit also shone a spotlight on the growing menace of illegal mining in the local government area, with stakeholders issuing a pointed charge to traditional institutions: custodians of land and custom must not allow petty pecuniary benefits, the lure of lucrum, to blind them to their duty of stewardship. Traditional rulers were urged to consult broadly and liaise with the local government council to standardise operations and ensure that natural resources serve development, not criminality.
A Well-Attended Assembly:
The event recorded a robust and representative turnout that underscored the seriousness with which Akamkpa’s leadership approaches security governance. Among those present were Hon. Emilia Katame, Vice Chairman of Council; Dr. Mrs. Obal Esang, Head of Local Government Administration (HOLGA); Mr. Christian Lawrence Attah, Secretary to the Council; all Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) operating within Akamkpa; alongside members of the traditional institution, faith-based organisations, youth and women groups, and a broad spectrum of community stakeholders.
As the summit drew to a close, the overarching message was clear and resolute: Akamkpa Local Government Area shall not yield its peace. Through the principle of unitas in diversitate, unity in diversity, government, security agencies, the traditional institution, the church and the community have bound themselves in a common covenant of vigilance, resilience and peace.
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