Otti Moves to Tackle Insecurity, Launches ‘Operation Crush’

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

Abia State Governor, Mr. Alex Otti, has taken a firm step to tackle the security challenge in the state headlong by launching an interagency response codenamed “Operation Crush.”

The security operation, which involves all the security agencies in the state was set in motion yesterday, in Umuahia, at an event attended by all the security chiefs, traditional rulers and other stakeholders.

Otti also inaugurated 20 Toyota patrol vans equipped with communication gadgets to ease the operations of the security agencies.

The vehicles were distributed to the security formations in the state, including the Police, Army, Navy, DSS and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC), with the police receiving the lion share.

In his address, the state governor said Operation Crush was a well-planned, coordinated response to root out every form of criminality in the state.

He explained that the security operation was his practical demonstration of his avowed resolve to make Abia secure and peaceful for residents to live their normal lives and go about their businesses.

He added: “This special operation is technically set up to swiftly identify, analyse and respond to security threats from and within any part of the state.

“As the codename indicates, the goal is to counter with necessary force, any incidence of kidnapping, armed robbery and other forms of violent crimes anywhere in the state.”

He specifically charged the security agencies not to spare any criminal, saying they should, “be brave and ruthless with these criminals” and “do whatever it takes” to put the undesirable elements out of business.

The Abia chief executive sent a strong message to all criminal elements, giving them two options, “either to leave this state or be crushed by superior force.”

Otti also charged security agencies to treat those that collaborate with criminals with same measure, including informants and those that harbour criminals and offer them shelter.

He warned that anybody found wanting in aiding and abetting crime, irrespective of status, would not be spared, including traditional rulers, community leaders.

“Today, we say never again. We shall no longer share one inch of our state with criminals,” Otti vowed.

Otti lamented the havoc criminals had wreaked in Abia with the attendant loss of lives and destruction of properties.

He recounted the series of criminal activities witnessed in the state since he came to power, including the recent attack on one of his commissioners, adding, “I consider the attack on a senior official of this government as a direct assault on the powers of this government”.

Otti, therefore asked security agencies to take the battle to flash points within Umunneochi and Isuikwuato local governments and deal ruthlessly with the hoodlums that terrorise people in those areas.

But he warned security agencies against violating the rights of innocent persons in the course of fighting criminals and their collaborators, saying officials in charge of the operations in various zones shall be held responsible for any form of harassment and abuses reported against their men.

“Your charge is simple: dislodge criminals from their hideouts and make the state secure for law abiding citizens,” he added.

The State Police Commissioner of Police, Kenechukwu Onwuemelie, who spoke on behalf of other security chiefs in the state, pledged that they would do their best to realise Otti’s vision for a well-secured Abia.

“The governor actually pushed us, nudged us to toil night and day to ensure that Aba is peaceful,” he said.

The CP noted that, “security is not about talking” and expressed gratitude to the governor for providing the security agencies with the needed tools to carry out their constitutional duties of securing lives and properties of the people.

Earlier, the Secretary to the State Government  (SSG), Prof. Kenneth Kalu, said the governor has a mandate and mission to fulfil, part of which was to provide security for the people and residents of Abia.

“This scheme(Operation Crush) will help us achieve the peace and stability we need, ” he said.