Gov. Sullivan.I.Chime

ENUGU STATE GOVT DONATED 50 PATROL VEHICLES TO
STATE POLICE COMMAND
 

The Enugu State Government has donated fifty Hilux pick-up patrol trucks fitted with sophisticated communication gadgets to the State Police Command to assist them combat crime and maintain law and order in the State.

The State government in addition procured one hundred walkie talkies and ten 5.5 KVA electric generator plants for the police to help boost communication for their repeater stations located at Nsukka, Udenu, Igbo Eze North, Oji River, Awgu, Udi, Uzo Uwani, Agbani and Ngwo Hill top.

The State governor, Mr. Sullivan Chime who announced this during the formal presentation of the vehicles and communication equipment at a colourful ceremony at the Okpara Square, Enugu said that the items were provided to help the police apprehend and prosecute criminals and violators of the law.

According to the governor, “We are here today to handover 50 Hilux Pick-up vehicles fully equipped with vital communication gadgets to the Enugu State Police Command for the effective coverage of the entire state…and make our society crime-free as well as apprehend and prosecute criminals and other violators of the law.”

He explained that the decision to assist the police was based on the security consciousness of his administration and its firm resolve not to employ extra-judicial methods of policing in the State since such would undermine the work of the police constitutionally responsible to cater for public security and maintenance of law and order.

The State Chief Executive re-affirmed his government’s confidence in the ability of the Nigerian Police to discharge their constitutional responsibilities, adding that the presentation of the vehicles and equipments were the beginning of government’s critical partnership with the police for improved perform.

“We have implicit confidence in the abilities of the Nigerian Police and other agencies for State Security to deliver, bring the armed bandits, law breakers and other criminals to total submission”, he said.

On the issue of cultism and cultists in the institutions of higher learning in the State, Governor Chime made it clear that his government would not tolerate criminalities under any guise and therefore directed the law enforcement agencies to do away with them as a matter of urgency.

Said he, “we have zero tolerance for cultism and cultists. The so called cultists are nothing but criminal gangsters. This government will bring the full weight of the law to bear on them. I urge our law enforcement agencies to wipe away cultism from our institution as a matter of urgency.”

He used the occasion to campaign for a better working condition for the Nigerian Police and appealed to those who see crime as a way of life to have a rethink, promising that government would help to rehabilitate those who genuinely repented.

Also in his speech, the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, announced the ban of road blocks in the State, adding that the provision of the vehicles and equipments were a clear testimony of the importance Enugu State government attaches to public security.

Mr. Okiro noted that with the vehicles, the police in Enugu State had no excuse to fai and commended the governor for being the first to purchase and donate such sophisticated high frequency communication gadgets for the operational efficiency of the police.

The federal police boss, said, “You have no excuse whatsoever not to perform. You must chase out all the criminals in Enugu State and bring them to justice… I expect no less in terms of effective watertight security. While performing your duty, you must shun corruption and all forms of extortion.”

He also appealed to the people of Enugu State to utilize the new communication facilities to pass information about criminal and their nefarious activities to the police, adding, that government should put the necessary arrangements in place for the adequate maintenance of the vehicles and the equipment.

Also, the Chairman Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Enugu State Chapter, Hon. Ignatius Ishienyi in his speech announced that in addition to the seventeen out of the fifty Hilux pick-up vehicles provided by the association, they would also donate N4.3 million monthly for the maintenance and general serving of the vehicles.

Hon. Ishienyi described the new dimension in the fight against crime and criminals in the State as a welcome development and thanked the governor for his landmark achievements which included the recall of disengaged workers, launching of mechanized agricultural farming in the State and introduction of government of accommodation and collective bargaining.

He pledged their total cooperation and support of the asociation to the administration and requested the Governor to visit their council areas to commission some of their completed projects.

In his speech, the Secretary to the State government, Mr. Martin Ilo said that the presentation of the vehicles to the police was just the first in the quest to actualize the State government 4 point agenda, adding that the Chime administration has vision and focus.

Mr. Ilo added that the handover of the patrol vehicles clearly demonstrated government’s commitment in flushing out hoodlums from the State, and its resolve to ensure adequate security of lives and properties of residents of the State.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA), Mr. Rob Anwatu pledged the readiness of the organized private sector to partner with the State government for the economic wellbeing of the people and described the private sector as the engine and the driving force of the economy.

He expressed happiness that Enugu State is gradually transforming from mere Civil Service State to a commercial city and appealed to the State government for an enabling environment for economic activities to thrive.

Mr. Anwatu noted that for business to grow, there must be adequate security of life and property. He therefore thanked the governor for the giant strides taken so far in the area of security, pointing out that nobody wants to come in and invest where there is no security.

 

Governor Sullivan Chime, Anambra State Commissioner of Police, Mr O.M Osuchukwu, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro and the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Bashiru Azeez, during the presentation of patrol vehicles and communication gadgets to the State Command of the Nigeria Police Force, at the Michael Okpara Square, Enugu.