Beef up security Enugu-PH expressway, commuters beg Police
*Aguocha Committee settles down to work
From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia
Commuters along Enugu – Port Harcourt expressway have called on the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu and the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Zone 9, Umuahia to beef up security on the Enugu-Port Harcourt expressway to check the activities of kidnappers and other criminals.
The Save-Our-Soul (SOS) call is coming on the heels of the assurance by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Taoreed Lagbaja, that all security agencies were working round the clock to eradicate the spate of insecurity ravaging the entire South East.
The commuters, who spoke in an interview over the weekend in Umuahia, on the security situation along the Enugu – Port Harcourt expressway, decried the deteriorating security along the Ihube – Okigwe, Imo State, axis of the expressway.
Those who identified the Ihube-Okigwe axis as one of the flash points, include Joyce Onyebuchi, Daniel Oleh and Chika Adibe. Expressing their views on the present situation along the Ihube – Okigwe axis of the road in separate interviews, they described it as worrisome.
They noted that the efforts of Governor Alex Otti of Abia State through the recently launched Operation Crush would be meaningless if the Ihube – Okigwe axis remains a flash point for criminal activities.
In their reactions also, Mrs Eberechi Ude, Oliver Ekwo, Blessing Amaechi, as well as Udoka Ekwerike, called for urgent steps to address the current challenge along the road to complement what Governor Alex Otti has been doing in Abia.
They therefore called on the GOC, 82 Division and the AIG, Zone 9, to deploy more operatives in order to boost security along the area to protect travellers from kidnappers and criminals.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has vowed to put an end to insecurity, ranging from kidnapping, banditry and other criminal activities in the South-East geopolitical zone very soon, assuring that no stone would be unturned until perpetrators were brought to book and peace restored.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Taoreed Lagbaja, made this promise at a meeting with the House of Representative Ad-Hoc Committee investigating the killing and kidnapping in Isiukwuato and Umunneochi Local Government Areas of Abia state.
Lagbaja, represented by the Deputy Director, Operations, Army Headquarters, Brigadier-General Gabriel Olufemi Esho, assured the people that all security agencies were working round the clock to address the insecurity in the region.
The Army boss said that kidnapping remained a serious security threat, especially in the area being investigated, adding that the region recorded cases of kidnapping and attacks by criminals suspected to be elements of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), particularly last month.
”The House of Representatives requested that the Nigerian Army submit a memorandum to the Ad-hoc Committee to interface with relevant security agencies and stakeholders in respect of incessant attacks by kidnappers, assassination and bandits and other criminal elements in and around these two local government areas.
“It is pertinent to state there have been incidences of kidnapping in Southeast region, particularly in the second quarter of this year. Recently, efforts of the Nigerian Army, through its Division, in conjunction with other security agencies, have diminished the threat of kidnappings,” the Chief of Army Staff said.
In his opening remarks, the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Obinna Aguochi, said instances of criminal activities, banditry, kidnapping, assassinations, communal clashes, and threats to life have shaken the very foundation of the societies.
Aguochi said as leaders and stakeholders, it was incumbent on them to come together, transcending differences, to find sustainable solutions that will quell these threats and pave the way for a brighter future.
“We gather here today not just as representatives of various organisations and institutions, but as concerned citizens united by a common goal to interface with the relevant security agencies on how to reduce kidnapping, assassinations and banditry in and around Isiukwuato and Umunneochi Local Government Areas of Abia State, the restoration of safety, harmony and progress in those cherished communities.
“Our commitment to addressing this crisis is evident in our presence here today. We recognize that insecurity cannot be combated by one entity alone; it requires a collective, multi-faceted approach that encompasses the perspectives and expertise of law enforcement agencies, community leaders, policymakers, scholars, and citizens,” the federal lawmaker representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South Federal Constituency said.
“This Committee hearing provides us with the opportunity to harness these diverse perspectives and channel them into a coherent, action-oriented strategy. As we navigate the complexities of security concerns, it is crucial to acknowledge that no single solution can provide a quick fix.
“It requires a holistic approach that encompasses law enforcement, community engagement, socio-economic development, and effective engagement from governments. We must be prepared to tackle the issues at their core and work collaboratively to ensure lasting solutions that would stand the test of time.
“The complex interplay or interest and non-state actors within this region is compounded by the presence of armed entities such as the Eastern Security Network (ESN) and the Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB), alongside Private Security Organizations like the Royal Switch Services (RSS) and others within the gap,” he added.
Recall that that Umunneochi and Isuikwato have been in the throes of criminalities, especially kidnapping, prompting the member representing the Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency, Hon. Amobi Ogah, to move a motion calling on the security agencies to rally together and come with up strategies to urgently end insecurity in his constituency.
In adopting the Hon. Ogah’s motion, the House of Representatives formed the Hon. Aguocha-led Ad-Hoc Committee charged with liaising with security agencies to find ways of ending the insecurity in the area.
