Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, has expressed the state government’s readiness to partner the Nigeria Army in enhancing the security network of the State.
Ikpeazu stated this while receiving the General Officer Commanding 82 Division of the Nigeria Army, Enugu, Major General Lasisi Adegboye and his delegation at Government House, Umuahia.
The Governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Sir Ude Oko Chukwu, commended the military for not only assisting the government in protecting lives and property in the State but also working in synergy with other security agencies to maintain peace.
Chukwu called on officers of the Nigeria Army to assist in reducing clashes between farmers and herders in the State to the barest minimum while the government continues to engage traditional rulers, presidents general of various town unions and other stakeholders in the State on the need to maintain peace and not take the law into their hands even when the herders continue to wreak havoc on farmlands.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to completing the projects situated at the 144 Battallion Barracks at Asa in collaboration with the Nigeria Army and implored them to also assist the government in enforcing the wearing of face masks by citizens and adhering to all the required precautionary measures and protocols by NCDC and Government in the fight against the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Also speaking, the General Officer Commanding 82 Division of the Nigeria Army, Enugu, Major General, Lasisi Adegboye, stressed the need for government, the army and traditional rulers at the community levels to embark on more proactive approach to check the rising incident of land disputes and clashes between farmers and herders which had led to unnecessary deaths and destruction of properties.
He appealed to the state government to assist the military to complete the projects initiated at the 144 Battalion Barracks, Asa, and provide them with vehicles to ease their logistics challengess.
Adegboye also promised to always collaborate with the state government in providing security.
