Agberen To DTSG: Disband “Operation Delta Hawk,” Replace With Forest Hunters, Vigilante Group, Anti-Cult To Tackle Insecurity

Comr.(Amb) Derrick Oritsematosan Agberen, National Coordinator,
Initiative For Social Rights Concerns
And Advancement (ISRCA) AKA “No Justice, No Peace,” has said that going by the rate in the trend of kidnappings, killing activities and the increased rate in crimes in Delta State, it has become necessary to suggest to the Delta State Government, under the executive Governor of Delta State; Rt. Hon. Sherrif Oborevwori to “disband” the “Operation Delta Hawk”, as State owned security outfit, which was established to tackle kìdnäpping and other violent crimes, including farmers-herders’ clashes and replace with Forest Hunters Volunteer Group, Anti-Cült Volunteers as State Security Outfits, working directly under the supervision of the Delta State Police Command.

Agberen said this in a statement on Wednesday.

According to him, “In the year 2020, the former Governor of Delta State, his excellency; Dr. Ifeanyi A. Okowa, created the “Operation Delta Hawk,” to tackle issues of kidnappings and other violent crimes in the State, including farmers-herders’ clashes but unfortunately, the motive for the creation of the security outfit were defeated overtime, going by the increased rate in crimes.”

Adding: “The activities of the Operation Delta Hawk has been reduced to vetting drivers’ licenses, car particulars and harassing residents in the State,” saying they are mostly involved in extortion on a daily basis.”

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He continued: “The activities of the Operation Delta Hawk, which were believed to be for combating crimes and ensure the State is safe, deviated from its core responsibility, as they are also unskillful and not conversant with the bushes and forest, hence defeats the purposes of its establishment.

“The Operation Delta Hawk is comprised of different security agencies, which are under the payroll of the Federal Government of Nigeria and as such, should be despatched to their place of primary assignments while financial budgets that go alongside be redirected towards employing the Forest Hunters Volunteer Group and Anti-Cült Volunteers as State Security Outfits.

“This will not only help to boost employment among members of the group in the States, as the group are mostly indigenous people of Delta but also will help to address and directly confront the issues of kidnapping, terrorists activities in her bushes and forest.

“Insecurity in the state have reached a point, that nobody is safe, not even government officials are exempted.”

While he commiserated with the family of the Police orderly of Hon. Joan Onyemaechi, who lost his life during the kidnap operation where she, a former commissioner of Technical Education was kidnapped and taken through the River Niger, with certainty that she will return back home safely he said the State Government must not wait for it to get to this point before giving serious attention.

“Therefore, the Delta State Government should do all within its best, to be proactive to issues of insëcürity by devising measures or better still adhere to suggestive procedures. The Forest Hunters Volunteer Group and Anti-Cült Volunteers as State Security Outfits have volunteered themselves in the fight against crimes, especially in the forest and bushes but have lacked State Government support in the area of funding and other logistics. Disbanding the Operation Delta Hawk would help to redirect State funds to sustain this aspect of security in the State,” he said.