Mr. Efiok Cobham

By Jude Okwe 

Cross River State Friday formally got an Acting Governor when the State Assembly read and adopted a letter transferring power to Mr. Efiok Cobham as Governor Liyel Imoke took his annual leave.

In what appeared to be his first assignment, Cobham who will hold power in the state from December 6, 2012 to February 6, 2013 blasted the police for obvious misuse of official vehicles due to the rough manner in which they handled the vehicles that was responsible for the excuse of no vehicle to respond to distress calls.

Cobham made government’s exception to this misuse known in Calabar when he presented 26 well equipped utility pick up vans to the Cross River State Command of the Nigeria Police.

In the presence of the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 6, Mr. Ibrahim Mukhtar, the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Osita Ezechukwu and others, Cobham said the warning became imperative following observations of misuse of police vehicles.

According to him, despite Cross River been adjudged as having the lowest crime rate in the country, the state government was not resting on its oars to ensuring that the security of lives and properties was gauranteed.

“Cross River State has low crime rate but that is not completely zero and we intend to further reduce it. Between 2007 and now, about 100 vehicles have been given to the police. We do so to achieve the objective of keeping Cross River peaceful.