TheCable

Usman Baba, inspector-general of police, has extended the ‘Operation Restore Peace’ recently launched in south-east to the south-south.

The operation was first launched in Enugu on Tuesday for the south-east region.

In recent times, the spate of criminal attacks have increased in the southern region, with security facilities and government buildings targeted.

The IGP, on Wednesday, flagged off the special operation at the Sharks football stadium in Port Harcourt, Rivers state capital.

Speaking at the event, Baba condemned the spate of kidnappings, armed robbery, cult-related violence and other forms of crime in the region.

He, however, commended Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, and other governors of the south-south for supporting the police and other law enforcement agencies.

“The IGP, who flagged off the special operation, today, 19th May, 2021 at the Sharks football stadium, Port Harcourt, noted that the move is a continuation of the implementation process of the special operation in the country,” a statement by Frank Mba, force spokesperson, reads.

“He further noted that the operation in the South-South region is also targeted at stemming the tide of violent attacks and breakdown of law and order, and contain the heightened threats to lives and property occasioned by the secessionists activities of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), and other criminal elements in the region.

“The IGP condemned the increased cases of kidnapping, armed robbery, cult-related violence, economic sabotage and other threats to public safety bedeviling the region.

“These crimes, the IGP observed, are in addition to a series of violent attacks on security personnel and formations in the region.”