ARISE Agenda: How We Secured Akwa Ibom’s Land and 129km Waterways – Internal Security Commissioner, Gen. Essien (Rtd)
By Patrick Albert
The Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Internal Security and Waterways has outlined major strides in securing the state under Governor Umo Eno’s ARISE Agenda, attributing the prevailing peace and improved oil revenue to deliberate investment in security architecture.
The Honourable Commissioner, Brigadier General Koko Essien (Rtd.), disclosed this on Friday, October 23, 2026, during the Ministerial Press Briefing at Akpan Isemin Hall, Government House, Uyo.
Gen. Essien said the Ministry, created by Governor Umo Eno shortly after assumption of office, was designed as the pinnacle of public safety to coordinate the state’s security management strategy, particularly given Akwa Ibom’s geo-strategic position as the state with the longest coastline in Nigeria at 129km and hosting nearly 95% of its oil and gas infrastructure in the waterways.
According to him, the Ministry serves as the primary vehicle for coordinating government interface with security agencies both on land and waterways.
He noted that coordinated operations in the waterways have drastically reduced oil theft, sea robbery and kidnapping, thereby protecting critical oil and gas assets, improving the state’s revenue base and boosting the blue economy in water transportation, trading and fisheries.
On land, he said inner-city and community security has greatly improved, recalling that in the early months of the administration, kidnapping was rampant in Uyo and almost crippled night life. That tide, he said, has been stemmed alongside cultism in society and public schools, armed robbery, communal clashes and cross-border criminality.
The Ministry, he added, also provides security support to other MDAs including traffic management with the Ministry of Transport, anti-open grazing operations with Agriculture and Justice Ministries, and enforcement actions for UCCDA, AKSEPWMA and PPMC.
Beyond federal security agencies, the Commissioner said informal structures have been strengthened.
He said the Ibom Community Watch, launched on 14th December, 2023, has provided grassroots surveillance, actionable intelligence, crowd control, traffic management and protection of public assets, with the Police confirming improved local intelligence in Uyo where they are active.
He further disclosed that Governor Eno recently approved the integration of Village Youth Presidents across the 2,272 gazetted villages into the informal security architecture. While the structure remains under the Ministry of Youth Development, they will support intelligence, early warning and protection of critical public assets in their communities through an inter-ministerial arrangement coordinated by his Ministry.
Listing key infrastructure interventions, Gen. Essien said a centralized tech-driven security and emergency response facility – Command and Control Centre (C2C); conceptualized as a digital nerve centre for real-time surveillance, information sharing among agencies, monitoring of the 129km coastline and coordination of fire, health and ambulance emergency services will soon be commissioned.
He also said that Counter-Terrorism Unit (CTU) Base, a specialized base of the Nigeria Police to combat terrorism, armed insurgency and violent crime, protection of critical infrastructure and handling hostage situations is currently being constructed after approval from Force Headquarters.
On the relocation of Uyo Correctional Centre, the Commissioner said this was very apt as the current facility, located near Government House, Uyo, the Chief Judge’s residence and ARISE Palm Resort, is overcrowded with no room for expansion.
He disclosed that Government has acquired land at Nung Ukim, Ikono, and agreed on a design with the Federal Ministry of Interior with construction expected to commence upon final agreement.
On efforts to boost response capability, he said Governor Eno has purchased and deployed 17 patrol vehicles fitted with modern communication equipment to security agencies, mostly the Police, and 14 patrol boats for the Joint Maritime Task Force (JMTF) under NNS JUBILEE to cover shallow waters not accessible to Naval, Army and Police gunboats.
He stated that the Akwa Ibom State Security Trust Fund (AKSTF), launched on 16th September, 2025, as a public-private partnership to pool resources for security, is being rejigged for greater efficiency.
Gen. Essien disclosed that the administration has secured approvals for additional military bases to be established in the State to enhance security and investor confidence.
These include a Nigerian Army Battalion in Urue-Offong/Oruko LGA, starting with a Forward Operating Base (FOB), with plans for additional battalions in Eket and Obot Akara.
Also, a Navy Outpost/Base in Stubbs Creek to strengthen naval capacity in the maritime domain and the 309 Composite Base of the Nigerian Air Force in Eket, involving takeover of the defunct Mobil Airstrip and expansion to a full multi-role base hosting different aircraft types to secure the state, its waterways and influence security within the Gulf of Guinea.
The Commissioner said Governor Eno’s support has been key to the safety, peace and tranquillity the state enjoys today, noting that the peace has yielded verifiable dividends in tourism, economy including greater oil and gas revenue, and social welfare.
