Chairman lauds security agencies for restoring sanity in A’Ibom council

The Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies have been commended for restoring sanity at the popular Fiong Aran Market in Ini Local Government Area (LGA) of Akwa Ibom State.

The council chairman, Israel Idaisin, who gave the commendation during a tour of his projects yesterday, was excited that the security personnel were up and doing, leading to their take-over of the market–a major revenue generator–from the hoodlums whom he said, had scared away traders and buyers from within and outside the state owing to their nefarious activities.

According to him, the invaders, whom he described as ‘militants’, usually swoop on the market to steal goods and money resulting in huge revenue loss to both traders and the council authorities, as those patronising the facility from other areas and neighbouring states of Abia and Imo steer clear of it.

A development, Idaisin noted, had been impacting negatively on internally generated revenue (IGR).

With the prevailing peace and an anticipated turnaround in fund mobilisation, the chairman said he had invested his security votes in the construction of more stalls and rehabilitation of others.

His words:  “Because of the strategic importance of this market to the communities, I was forced to use my security votes to begin the construction of 500 new stalls. About 80 per cent of revenue so far realised from the improved market had been expended on security.

“I am calling on all the businessmen from (our) neighbouring states who abandoned the Fiong Aran Market due to insecurity to return, as security agents have brought the restive situation under control.

“The market is the oldest in Ini local council and it is dear to our people. As a child, I was always there, but for a long time now, these miscreants took over it.”

He went on:  “They were in the habit of chasing away the people in order to loot their shops and the market totally collapsed. There was nothing left.

“On assumption of office, I knew that the market is our major source of revenue. And as such, we cannot allow it to waste away. So, I moved in, and since there was no money, I had to use my security votes. The police and other security agencies helped by chasing away the boys, and today, there is normalcy. The Hausa, Yoruba and the Igbo that were using the market have all returned.”