Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State.
By Ewa Nworie
In Ebonyi, any Police formation that allows its facilities to be attacked by hoodlums or unknown gunmen, will henceforth, be closed down and officers recommended for disciplinary actions.
This was part of the resolutions reached after an expanded security meeting held at EXCO Chambers, Old government house, Abakaliki.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting,the Secretary to the State Government, and Coordinating Commissioner, Dr. Keneth Ugballa,who was flanked by the commissioner for Internal Security, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha, said the reason was that Police has the primary responsibility of not only protecting their own stations and personnel, but, other citizens and properties.
According to the SSG, "where they cannot protect themselves, it Constitute a big problem because, they are trained to do so, and in such situation, State Executive Council (EXCO) has resolved that government will request for the close down of such police stations or Area Command,and recommend disciplinary actions for the personnel.
His words: “The council resolved that the Police in Ebonyi State and other security agencies must do their best to protect their police stations, that any police station that allows the division or area command to be attacked, the government will have no option than to allow such division or command to be closed down.
“The reason is that our security agencies have the primary responsibilities of protecting not only their stations or personnel working with them but our citizens. Where they cannot protect themselves, it is a big problem because they are trained for that, and Exco agreed that if the agencies allowed their facilities to be attacked, then Ebonyi government will be requesting for close down of such station or area command while the officers working in such facilities will face disciplinary actions."
"EXCO approved the procurement of 80 sienna buses and 40 Hilux vans to be distributed to vigilantes and police stations to enable security agencies combat crime and the razing of police stations by bandits or unknown gunmen.
On vigilante proper,Ugballa,said, "Council had extensive discussions on the establishment of vigilantes and we want to take our security from the grassroots the way it has always traditionally been done. Every community in Ebonyi State is to have five vigilantes and that will give us a total of 700 vigilantes at the 13 local government areas of the State.
"They will be responsible outside our normal community vigilantes that have always been our traditional way of safeguarding our people. Government encourages that all the villages and communities should set out their own vigilantes.
"We all grew up to meet all these things being done and this is the right time to create barricades on the roads at odd hours and checkmate who is going out and who is coming in at our local government areas and communities.
“The state will equally set 700 vigilantes across the 13 LGAs and another 300 at the urban, making it a total of 1000 vigilante members. The essence of it is that all the necessary facilities that can help them do their work better including mobility and training will be instituted through the Ministry of Internal security immediately.
"The vehicles have already been purchased by the government to make sure that they are strategically located in all the corners of the state to ensure that our people are not attacked by bandits.
The Commissioner for Internal security, Chief Stanley Emegha Okoro, said his office has been directed by EXCO to move round the police stations in the state to know the areas their building needs to be touched with a view to renovating them and install CCTV cameras,adding that the 30 to 40 procured Hilux vehicles for police will in the next two weeks be distributed to help checkmate crimes in the state.
He also announced that 80 Sienna buses has been procured for the new security outfits,the Vigilante.
"Government thought it wise to increase the mobility of the police personnel in the state. The governor has made promise that in the next two weeks,he will distribute 30 to 40 Hilux vehicles to the police in the state,and in addition, have procured 80 Sienna buses to the new security outfit, the Commissioner explained.
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