Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State
Illegal immigrants now attacking, kidnapping lecturers, students, others in Abia – Ikpeazu
[From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia]
Abia Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has disclosed that criminal activities, including armed robbery attacks and kidnapping of lecturers and students around Isuikwuato local government area of the state were being perpetrated by illegal immigrants.
Ikpeazu stated this when he received, in audience, a delegation of the Deputy Comptroller-General of Nigeria Immigration Service, Anthonia Opara, at Government House, Umuahia.
According to the Governor, the illegal immigrants, especially from Chad and Niger Republic, have continued to perpetrate criminal activities along Lokpanta, in Umunneochi local government area, and Isuikwuato axis.
He told his guests that he has received credible intelligence on the criminal activities of the gang and would share the information with the Abia State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service since a good number of the criminals were not Nigerians.
Ikpeazu noted that the victims of the criminal activities of the immigrants include students and lecturers.
He, therefore, charged the Nigeria Immigration Service and other military and para-military formations in the state to take a deeper look at the activities of illegal immigrants which he identified as being inimical to the state and her people.
The Governor assured that government would continue to support the Nigeria Immigration Service in the state to continue to discharge its mandate.
He congratulated Mrs. Opara, a former Comptroller of Immigrations in the State, on her elevation to the position of Deputy Comptroller-General of Immigrations and appreciated the Acting Comptroller- General and the Minister of Interior for restoring the Abia Command of Immigration Service after the command was attacked and vandalized by some “Unknown Gun men” last May.
Earlier in an address, Mrs Opara who is in charge of Migration at the Headquarters of the Immigration Service, thanked the Governor for his immense support to the Abia Command of Immigration Service as demonstrated in the rehabilitation, by the State Government, of the State Command of the Service and reassured him of the continued partnership of the Service with the State Government.
She appealed to the Governor to assist the Service by providing operational vehicles to enable it to carry out its operations effectively in the state.
State Comptroller of Immigration, Abia State Command, Mr Samuel Offiong, was part of the delegation while the Secretary to Government, Barrister Chris Ezem, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Professor ACB Agbazuere, were among other top government functionaries who were present during the visit.
