Over twenty two communities in Nikorogha, Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo State, have protested against alleged plans by some influential individuals to cause the removal of security personnel deployed to the area by the state government.
OsunDailyNG reports that the residents who are mainly Ijaw-speaking, said the presence of security personnel has made the communities more inhabitable to them.
The protesters who came out in their numbers were armed with placards with different inscriptions, such as, “Come to our aid Mr Governor”, “We need peace to do our businesses in Nikorogha”, and “Armed robbers come here to rape and rob our wives and women”, among others.
Speaking with newsmen, the chairman Nikorogha community, Friday Benson, appealed to Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, to extend the stay, and increase of presence, of security agents deployed to the community.
Benson, however, commended Obaseki for ensuring that peace and security prevail in the communities as well as linking the communities through road construction.
“What we are saying in essence is that nobody should truncate the effort of the governor by planning to remove security from our communities.
“There is a great improvement of security in the last one year and a half. We thank the governor for providing the needed security
“Before now, nobody sleeps with two eyes closed, we were subjected to several attacks. But today we have a strong presence of security with the deployment of special forces at Mile 3.
“Their presence has checkmated insecurity being perpetrated in the land by some unscrupulous elements,” he said.
On his part, Chairman of Elders Council, Philip Polo, who called for more deployment of security to the communities, also thanked the governor for his efforts in road construction in Nikorogha.
