Security: Gov. Otu’s Most Underrated Achievement

Dr. Inyali Peter 

The most underrated measure of effective governance is peace. Governor Bassey Otu’s administration in Cross River State has achieved something worthy noting in the security sector. The administration has restored security and tranquility across the state but this achievement remains frustratingly underrated and constantly overshadowed by discussions of other development initiatives when people assess his tenure.

Before Otu assumed office, the State’s historic reputation for peace had shattered. Kidnappings terrorized major routes like the Calabar-Ikom highway, Itu-Akwa Ibom corridor, Akpabuyo region, UNICAL, Author Jarvis University, etc. The serene Calabar waterways became danger zones. Communal clashes erupted between villages. Cult clashes were on rampage. Militia violence gripped Calabar South, Bakassi, Boki. The state was synonymous with insecurity.

In over three years at the helm, Governor Otu has dramatically altered this trajectory. Kidnappings have plummeted on previously dangerous corridors. Communal tensions have eased significantly. Cult and militia activities have been substantially reduced. The waterways are safer. These aren’t speculative claims but observable changes that have restored confidence among residents and investors alike.

Unfortunately, when people discuss Otu’s administration’s achievements or asked what he has done, security rarely enters the conversation. It’s shocking how quickly transformative results become invisible in political discourse. This oversight is unfair and inappropriate because no achievement matters more to citizens than their ability to live safely.

Nevertheless, no society is completely crime-free; pockets of isolated incidents will inevitably occur. But the overall current reality is that Calabar, and indeed Cross River State have regained the status of one of  Nigeria’s safest cities and states. Governor Otu deserves is flowers for returning peace where chaos once reigned, for restoring the most valuable commodity any government can offer; security.