By Onwa Ekor
Cross River governor, Prince Bassey Otu, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to security, declaring Cross River the safest state in the country and safe for residents and investors.
Otu spoke during an inspection of the newly constructed police station on Bateba Street, Calabar, where he said his government has invested heavily in security infrastructure, equipment and inter-agency collaboration.
“Security has been one of our very prime concerns in this state and this state remains the safest state nationally in this country,” the governor said, warning that his administration would not tolerate lawlessness.
Otu said maintaining peace in Cross River demands huge investment given its extensive land borders and proximity to neighbouring countries, disclosing that his government has invested in maritime security infrastructure, modern equipment and land-based security architecture.
“The main activity of government is to protect life and property. So we’ve invested a lot, both in terms of maritime infrastructure, security equipment, and we have built our land security architecture to make sure that everybody sleeps peacefully and wakes peacefully,” he stated.
The governor said the improved security has restored public confidence, noting that residents now move freely even in the early hours.
He recalled encountering a large number of residents jogging and going about their activities during a walk around 5 a.m. a development he said was previously uncommon.
He assured that the prevailing peace has boosted the state’s appeal to investors and visitors, pledging sustained collaboration with security agencies.
In a related development, the governor toured facilities of the state-owned Cross River Broadcasting Corporation (CRBC) and pledged to upgrade its substations to expand coverage across the state.
