Abia pledges to boost fight against crime

The Abia State Government has pledged to prevent criminal activities from undermining the progress achieved during Governor Alex Otti’s administration.

Prince Kanu, Commissioner for Information and Culture, disclosed this to journalists on Monday, following the Executive Council meeting held under Governor Alex Otti’s leadership.

He stressed that the state government has no tolerance for criminal behavior and will take decisive action, referencing the confrontation between security personnel and armed criminals in Aba earlier that Monday.

“Earlier today, criminal elements engaged the security personnel in a gunfight at Umuode community, along the Port Harcourt -Enugu Express Road, and later at Umuojima in Osisioma where they were overwhelmed by the superior firepower of the security forces.

“In the ensuing gunfight, one of the gunmen was neutralized, while others escaped with varying degrees of gunshot injuries”

The commissioner further said that one of the vehicles belonging to the criminal elements, a Highlander vehicle was abandoned by the fleeing gunmen and is now under the custody of the security agencies.

He said that credible intelligence reports showed that the hoodlums were on the prowl to cause mayhem in the state and urged members of the public to be vigilant.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the governor on Security Matters, Navy Commander MacDonald Uba (retd.) said the state government has reviewed its strategies in the fight against crime and criminality.

“So my assurance is that going forward, it’s going to be a different ball game in the fight to rid our state of all kinds of criminal elements.

“There was no loss on the side of the security agents.”

He assured that the game has changed as it is no longer business as usual, adding that the security agencies were on the trail of the fleeing criminals.

In a bid to tackle crime related to motorcycles and tricycles, the state had earlier announced initiatives to enumerate and re-register all motorcycles and tricycles operating within the state.

The government emphasized that the primary objective of the registration and restriction measures is to protect the lives and property of law-abiding citizens and residents of the state.