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Akwa Ibom says its digital Command and Control Centre is nearing completion.
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Government acquires 14 gunboats to combat piracy, oil theft, kidnapping and cultism.
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State pursues additional military installations and plans for State Police.
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Residents urged to use approved transport loading points and scan vehicle QR codes before boarding.
October 24, (THEWILL) – Akwa Ibom State Government says it has acquired 14 gunboats and is nearing completion of a digital security Command and Control Centre in Uyo as part of efforts to strengthen surveillance, combat maritime crime and protect strategic oil and gas infrastructure across the state.
The Commissioner for Internal Security and Waterways, Brig. Gen. Koko Essien (rtd.), disclosed this on yesterday, during a ministerial press briefing at Government House, Uyo, where he outlined security interventions under Governor Umo Eno’s ARISE Agenda.
Essien said the government had intensified collaboration with relevant security agencies to tackle oil theft, sea piracy, cultism and kidnapping, particularly along the state’s estimated 129-kilometre coastline.
He explained that the acquisition of 14 gunboats and the establishment of a Joint Maritime Task Force were part of measures to strengthen operational capacity and secure the state’s waterways.
According to him, improved security along the maritime corridor has contributed to increased oil production, partly through efforts to curb crude oil theft and other illegal activities.
The commissioner disclosed that the Command and Control Centre on Brooks Street, Uyo, was nearing completion and would be commissioned soon.
He said the facility would serve as a digital coordination hub for security operations, with plans to integrate ambulance and emergency response services as well as traffic management functions.
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Essien also revealed that the state government was working with military authorities to establish a Forward Operating Base in Urue-Offong/Oruko Local Government Area, while the Nigerian Navy was pursuing plans to establish a base within the Stubb Creek area.
He added that the government intended to expand the Mobil airstrip facility in Eket for use as a proposed Air Force base, saying the additional military installations would improve security coverage and protect strategic infrastructure.
On the proposed relocation of the Uyo Correctional Centre, the commissioner said the facility had exceeded its capacity, and that land had been acquired at Nung Ukim-Ikono in Uyo Local Government Area for the planned relocation.
He said discussions were ongoing with the Federal Ministry of Interior, adding that compensation would be paid to communities affected by land acquisition for military installations in Urue-Offong/Oruko after the required documentation had been completed.
The commissioner further disclosed that preparations were underway for the eventual establishment of State Police in Akwa Ibom, subject to the outcome of the ongoing legislative process.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Information, Rt. Hon. Dr Aniekan Umanah, said the Eno administration was deepening accountability and strengthening security through institutional reforms, investments and policies designed to protect lives and property.
Umanah described security as a central pillar of the ARISE Agenda, noting that the creation of a stand-alone Ministry of Internal Security and Waterways was intended to improve coordination, planning and operational effectiveness, particularly given the state’s extensive coastline and strategic energy assets.
He also urged residents to support government security measures by boarding commercial tricycles, popularly known as Keke, and mini-buses only at approved loading points and scanning the QR codes displayed on the vehicles before boarding.
The Information Commissioner said the measures would help commuters verify relevant vehicle information and support efforts to safeguard lives and property, stressing that public cooperation remained essential to effective security management.
He described the ministerial press briefing as an accountability mechanism that enables government officials to present their achievements, policies and programmes to the public, while allowing journalists to obtain information on the administration’s performance across critical sectors.
The commissioners for Transport, Dr Anthony Luke, and Science and Digital Economy, Dr Frank Ekpenyong, alongside the Delivery Adviser to the Governor on Transport, Hon. Orman Esin, also briefed journalists on developments in their respective sectors.
Speaking, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Ekerete Udoh, said the administration’s investments in security infrastructure reflected Governor Umo Eno’s commitment to protecting lives, property and critical economic assets.
“The Governor believes that security is fundamental to sustainable development. The acquisition of gunboats, the establishment of the Joint Maritime Task Force and the forthcoming Command and Control Centre are strategic interventions designed to strengthen security coordination, protect our waterways and create a safer environment for residents and investors.”
