Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has taken stringent measures to end kidnapping in Isuikwuato area, and robbery in the state.
The governor who made this known in his official twitter handle yesterday said that he was sad with the sudden rise in violent crime around a bad spot before Akara Junction in Isuikwuato LGA and the recent spike in attacks on POS vendors in Aba.
“I frown seriously at this turn of events and have charged the law enforcement agencies to dominate all affected spaces around Isuikwuato axis and decisively combat the rising surge of crime there.
“On that note, I am relieved by the reassurances of the law enforcement agencies to me that they will apprehend the culprits and ensure the concerned localities are rid of crime!
“As a measure to remove the factors enabling crime in Isuikwuato, the Ministry of Works has been ordered to repair the failed portions of that federal road within seven days even as we are determined to emplace a permanent checkpoint around the notorious spot.
“On Aba, we are determined and have put machinery in motion to arrest within 10 days the few criminals who operate on tricycles,” he said.
Ikpeazu said that for the measures being put in place to have the desired results, all stakeholders including traditional rulers, vigilante groups, POS operators and the general public have to cooperate with the law enforcement agencies, “with whom we had a security meeting yesterday to review the situation,” by releasing information about suspected characters within the state to them.
He also urged the leadership of Keke operators to purge themselves of criminal elements or face the dire consequences.
While stating that Abia has to remain the most peaceful state in the country, he disclosed that another security council meeting of the state will hold within 14 days to review the progress on all fronts.