By: VITALIS UGOH, Calabar.
The Cross River state government has commenced recruitment of personnel into its Homeland Security Service.
This is contained in a statement issued and signed by Mr. Christian Ita, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Professor Ben Ayade.
According to him, the recruitment exercise is being done in collaboration with the Nigerian Police Force.
It would be recalled that the Cross River State Homeland Security was recently established after governor Ayade signed into law, a bill passed by the State House of Assembly for its establishment.
He said the recruitment into the security outfit is coming at a time preparations for the 2016 Carnival Calabar are in top gear.
Ita said “to be eligible for enlistment into the outfit, an applicant must be at least 6ft tall and a holder of a University degree or a Higher National Diploma (HND), the statement added.
It is expected that at least 3000 young persons will be enlisted into the outfit.
A non-arm bearing organization, the key function of the Cross River State Homeland Security is information gathering, which is expected to ensure a more effective policing of the state by Nigerian Police Force, he added
Speaking on the outfit recently, Ayade said the Cross River State Homeland Security is a complete departure from what is the tradition. It will, however, include but not limited to issues like providing intelligence, profiling of visitors coming in and out, doing neighborhood check and watch.
Also “it will also assist in furnishing police and other security agencies with information on who comes in and out of the state by providing intelligence data to Police. It will be no-arm bearing”.
Already, the State has purchased hundreds of Kia Sedan cars with fitted state-of-the art communication gadgets in preparation for its official inauguration.
