Just a month to the commencement of the general election in the country, Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State on Tuesday donated 70 Nissan brand Pick-Up vans to the various security agencies in the State to beef up their operations.
Distributing the vehicles at the Ngele Oruta Township Stadium, Abakaliki, the Governor said the gesture was in appreciation of the many sacrifices by the agencies towards the peace and security of the State.
Affirming that the ongoing Operation Python Dance III in the South-East has so far produced positive results, he urged the army and other security agencies to continue to maintain high level of professionalism in the execution of their constitutional roles.
According to him, there has so far been no reported infractions between the Army and the indigenous people of the zone as a result of the Python Dance.
Umahi further explained that his recent creation of a Ministry of Internal Security, Border Peace and Conflict Resolution was geared toward encouraging collaboration with the Security Agencies in the State to engineer peace and security across the State.
Restating that the issue of security was a collective affair, Umahi stressed that his administration would continue to collaborate with the Federal Government to rid the State of criminal elements.
The Secretary to State Government, Hyginus Nwokwu, explained that the State Executive Council gave its approval for the purchase of the vehicles in November 2018 after due legal processes.
Nwokwu added that the essence was to assist the agencies to effectively police major crime flash points across the State for enhanced security of lives and property of the citizens.
Beneficiaries of the vehicles were the Army, Police, Immigration, Prisons, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Department of State Services, Nigerian Legion, Federal Road Safety Corps and the new Ministry of Internal Security, Border Peace and Conflict Resolution.
The event was attended by the General Officer Commanding 82 Division, Nigeria Army, Enugu, Major General Abubarkar Maikobi; Commander, 24 Engineering support Regiment, Nkwoagu Military Cantonment, Lieutenant Colonel Sadiq Saheed; as well as the State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Mustapha, among others.