Nnaya Eziyi, Umuahia
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu
The National Taskforce (Natforce), Abia State Command, has raised the alarm over what it termed as sudden rise in crime and criminal activities in the state, describing the situation as worrisome.
The state Director of the Natforce, Silas Ihemeremadu stated this while speaking to our correspondent in his office in the command’s headquarters in Aba, the state commercial nerve centre.
He alleged that some of the security agencies in the state had compromised their duties, thereby exposing the lives of the people and their property to avoidable danger. To buttress his claim, he narrated how one of the agencies recently abated and prevented the Natforce from arresting suspected pipeline vandals and suspects of other crimes.
According to the director, with effect form January 1, the Natforce had resolved to leave no stone unturned it its bid to flush out criminals from the state, no matter whose ox was gored.
“I am using this medium, to warn the criminals, their sponsors and those who have compromised their duties that enough is enough for them or they will have themselves to blame” he stated.
He denied that the Natforce was without legal backing and was trying to usurp the duties of other security agencies in the state, saying it serves the same purpose with them. Clarifying further, he stated the Natforce thought at the moment a voluntary organisation, has commands cross the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
“We are not trying to take over the duties of any of the security agencies; rather we are working in tandem with them to ensure the security of lives and property of the people,” he noted.
He said as a sign of the cooperation between the Natforce and the other security agencies, the Nigeria Police had drafted 10 policemen to the command to assist it carrying out its duties.
Ihemeremadu said the Natforce mandate among others include prevention of smuggling, importation of arms and ammunitions, light weapons, chemical weapons and pipeline vandalism.
