The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside has expressed gratitude to security agencies, particularly the Army and State Security Service for working together to kill a notorious criminal, Igwedibia Johnson (well known as Don Waney), who for long terrorised the people of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) of Rivers State.

According to Peterside, “this is a confidence-building step towards restoration of law and order in Rivers State.”

A statement from the Nigeria Army Public Relations department disclosed that Don Waney and two of his accomplices were killed in Enugu while trying to escape after being encircled.

Peterside, while commending the gallantry of the security men, urged them not to rest on their oars until all criminal elements in the state had been arrested and made to face their days in court.

Said he: “The people of ONELGA have been harassed, traumatised, maimed and killed needlessly. This is a great day for the people and end of the road for those who felt this day would never come. For their sponsors, they should know that there is a consequence for every action and a day of reckoning for all of us.”

The NIMASA boss sympathised with those who lost their loved ones in the crisis and called on the state government to give all the required support to security agencies, while also showing the political will to distance itself from criminal elements.

“This is a good warning to all those who think they can be protected and accommodated by politicians. Those who live by the sword will die by the sword; we must give every support to the security agencies to help them rid our state of these criminals.

“Let me also call on the Governor (Nyesom) Wike-led administration to create policies and programmes that will create employment opportunities for the teeming Rivers youth. The government must go beyond brick and mortar and, fashion out ways of getting our youth employed.

“Rivers has huge potentials in agriculture and allied products, I see no reason why the state government has not looked at such opportunities to engage our youth. Governance is not just about building houses and painting roads; human capacity development is also very crucial,” he stressed.

Peterside assured the security agencies that the people of the state would continue to cooperate with them in terms of information, logistics and mutual respect as a way of promoting peace and attracting investors.

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