The Police and other sister security agencies have re-strategised on tackling growing insecurity in Awgu axis of Enugu for over two months now.
The new Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Mr Ahmed Abdurrahman, said this after he led head of security agencies on on-the-spot assessment of black spots within Awgu council area on Saturday.
The joint security team visited the following communities in Awgu council area; Isu Awaa, Ihe, Agbogugu, Agbudu and Ozalla; which are communities that had witnessed repeated abductions and a murder in the past two months.
Abdurrahman said that the assessment was to allow the joint security agencies in the state to know the best way to reinforce its new strategy to ensure the safety of lives and property in Awgu axis and the entire state.
According to him, the joint security committee has agreed to deploy more men on ground and have an extensive 24 hours patrol each day within communities and major roads in Awgu axis of the state.
“We are already on our toes, and we will not allow criminality and banditry to continue in this axis of the state.
“We are here re-assure the people of the state especially the people living within this axis that we will make their environment safe and secured for them to continue to carry out their legitimate businesses
unhindered.
“For the criminals, all of us here are warning them to change the mind and ways; while turning to be good citizens.
“If they refuse to change, we will surely arrest them and allow the full burden of the law to be on them; while those that think that they can outsmart the security agencies, we will find means to deal with
them appropriately,’’ he said.
The commissioner, however, appeal to the locals and leaders of the community to be free to give security agencies prompt information concerning suspicious persons, movements and objects within their neighbourhoods.
“Because this evil people are not spirits, most of them live among us in our neighbourhoods. We know them and revealing things about them to the security agencies will go a long way to ensure the safety of all.
“Again, once you see a new face, try to follow the person to know him/her the more and where he or she is living in your neighbourhood.
“If you cannot trace his home or mission in the neighbourhood; please report him or her to the police,’’ he said.
Abdurrahman urged community leaders and chairman of Awgu council area to ensure clear visibility on the roads by clearing about 250 metres radius of the black spots to allow oncoming persons and vehicles to know what is ongoing at the spots.
The commissioner also praised the synergy and commitment sister security agencies in ensuring security in the state, adding, “The renewed synergy is yielding positive result in the state’’.
Speaking, Brig.-Gen. Sylvester Oloyede, Garrison Commander of 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, said that the Nigerian Army had been helping the civil police to maintain law and order through its internal security duties.
“The synergy of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies in the state is on the high level and yielding the desired positive results,’’ Oloyede said.
According to the report by News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, the state Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and state Director of Department of State Security Services also took part on the on-the-spot assessment that lasted for
three hours.
NAN
