To curtail criminal activities in Uzo Uwani local government area and enhance the safety and security of the people, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah has launched a series of coordinated onslaughts against assailants and criminal elements in the council.
This led to security operatives arresting scores of suspects bearing dangerous weapons in some of the forests in the area.
The governor, who warned against self-help by some community members, said anybody or group of persons inciting and encouraging self-help would be dealt with according to the extant laws of the land. Mbah maintained that his administration would not condone people taking the laws into their hands as that falls short of all known civilised and legal norms.
The governor, who sued for peace among the Adani, Igga and other neighbouring communities in the council who have been engaging on reprisal attacks over communal land disputes, Governor Mbah, during an unscheduled visit to both communities on Sunday evening, said his administration had offered scholarships and job opportunities to the children and wives of the two slain police officers and three Neighbourhood Watch operatives.
The victims lost their lives in an ambush on Friday at Ada Rice Farm Settlement by suspected criminals engaged by Igga community to carry out attacks on innocent civilian populations.
He said security of life and property remained the top priority of his administration and vowed that the ongoing operations, involving combined teams of the police, the Department of State Services (DSS), the military and members of the Neighbourhood Watch groups, would continue until the area is completely rid of criminal elements.
The governor warned those responsible for the heinous crimes to submit themselves or face the full wrath of the law.
He said, “One thing I can assure you today is that we’ll apprehend all the criminals responsible for this attack. We’ll make sure they face the full wrath of the law as we’ll not spare anyone involved in the crime,” he said.
Governor Mbah, who also visited the Ada Rice Settlement, further warned the communities against taking the laws into their hands, saying grievances and challenges must be channeled to the constituted authorities for amicable resolution.
“It is unwise for you to be encouraging your people to take the law into their hands by killing people, including the security operatives. There are processes for resolving issues. If your people have any grievance, it’s for you to take it to the government. My office is always open for the people. If there is anything we need to do just to be sure that you’re all protected, we’ll do it because that is our primary duty as a government and that’s why we exist.,” the governor added.
According to him, the state government had already deployed security intelligence across the area to ensure people returned to their farmlands, till the soil and grew their plants without fear of being harassed or having their farms destroyed.
He also enjoined the people to cooperate with the security operatives by sharing useful information with them that would lead to the arrest of the assailants infiltrating the communities and their farms.
