The Abia State Government in collaboration with the Umunneochi LGA has commenced the clearing of bush parts serving as hide out for criminals elements in the State.
This is in an effort to combat kidnapping and other criminal activities in the Abia State and make it a safe haven for economic activities to thrive as well as ensure security of lives and properties.
One of such move is the clearing of a bush paths close to the Spiritan Catholic University along the Lomara-Nneato road in Umunneochi LGA which has overtime served as hideout to criminal elements within the area.
Recall that the Abia State Government recently imposed a dusk to dawn curfew to address security challenges in parts of the State.
Reacting to the exercise, the Security Adviser to the Governor Captain Awa Udensi Agwu rtd, said there is need to clear up thickly forested vegetation used by criminals to make it easy for monitoring by security agents.
He called on Local Government Chairmen in the State and all stakeholders to volunteer information to enable security agencies to secure the region from kidnappers and other criminals as well as make the State a safe haven where businesses will thrive.
“There is need to cleanup all forests used for negative purposes to undermine the security of the State and make them easy for continuous patrol in such locations. If such is done, there will be no hiding place in Abia for men of the underworld.
“The geographical location of Abia places it at the centre of seven states. Any criminal breech in any of these states affects Abia.
“In furtherance to that, the State government has made all our border locations under the charge of the Local Government Chairmen should be will monitored and that means that the aspect of community Police is brought to bear in the local Governments.
“Any Local Government Chairman with his salt and knows what security is all about should not wait for anyone to tell him what to do because they remain the Chief Security Officers of their LGAs”, the security adviser to Governor Ikpeazu stated.
Captain Awa Udensi while stating that efforts are on top gear to establish security check points along the criminal flashpoints along the Lomara-Nneato road and other flashpoints in the state, lauded the proactive steps taken by the Chairman Umunneochi LGA Mr Ifeanyi Madu in providing security for residents and road users across the LGA.
Speaking after conducting newsmen round the criminal flashpoints being cleared, the Chairman Umunneochi LGA, Mr Ifeanyi Madu said that the Council, in collaboration with the state government and security agencies in the area, will stop at nothing in restoring security in the area and pleaded with the federal and state governments to assist them establish security check points along the road.
Also, the Secretary of Umunneochi LGA, Mr Onyekachi Ubah said that the exercise has become necessary as various areas in Umunneochi has become flashpoints for all kinds of criminality including kidnapping and Armed Robbery, adding that the exercise will enable motorist see the road from afar to avoid falling victim to the criminals.
In an interview with National Ambassador, the Vice Chancellor Spiritan University, Professor Remijus Onyenwenyi represented by Professor Augustine Onyeneke said that unidentified hoodlums have been a attacking the area adding that many
Lecturers from the University have fallen victims of the operation of the criminal elements.
He thanked the state Government under the leadership of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu as well as the Umunneochi local government authority for coming exercise which he noted would nip in the bud activities of criminal elements in the area.
