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Hundreds of militants surrendered, capital flight reversed
Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu says the state has broken the back of criminal gangs that once held residents hostage.
The governor disclosed this through his deputy, Peter Odey, at the 2026 “Unite Against Terror” Security Summit in Calabar.
Otu recalled a “dark chapter” marked by kidnapping, armed robbery and violent crimes that triggered capital flight as doctors, academics and investors fled the state.
“Families lived in fear. Traders were afraid to travel. The highways and waterways were dominated by criminal elements.
“But today, the story has changed owing to our proactive approach and the cooperation of citizens.”
The Governor credited the turnaround to “Operation Okwok”, which he said was equipped with vehicles and logistics and backed by seamless coordination among the Army, Police, Navy, DSS and other security agencies.
“As a result, we dislodged the criminal rings that terrorized citizens. Hundreds of militants have surrendered and disarmed,” Otu stated.
He declared:
“No to kidnapping. No to armed robbery. No to banditry.”
The Governor added:
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“Security is the bedrock of the People-First Agenda. No development can thrive without it,”
as he declared the summit open.
In his keynote address, the Cross River State Director of the State Security Service, Oluwole Faluyi, said success in the campaign against terrorism depends not only on the efforts of the government and security agencies but also on the commitment of every citizen.
In his words:
“Every resident of Cross River state has the responsibility to contribute to a secure environment by remaining vigilant, cooperating with lawful authorities, and promoting peace and coexistence.
“Success can be achieved by the aggregation of efforts of the following stakeholders,”
Faluyi said.
Senior State Security Adviser to the Governor, Maj. Gen. Ubi Obono (Rtd), said in his presentation that defeating terrorism requires more than military force, adding that lasting victory hinges on collaboration and intelligence sharing.
Welcoming participants, Beatrice Akpala, Special Adviser to the Governor on Content Development and Archiving and Chairman of the Summit’s Central Planning Committee, said the forum was designed to foster dialogue, collaboration and intelligence sharing to strengthen the state’s capacity to prevent threats before they occur.
