Enugu State Governor, Mr Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has inspected the ongoing demolition of caves and clearing of bushes used as hideouts by criminals, Igbere TV reports.
Igbere TV had reported that the governor gave an order for the immediate demolition of caves in Agwu forests and bush clearing around Umuogbua Ihe tunnel in the state.
Governor Ugwuanyi gave the directive when he visited the tunnel along Enugu-PortHarcourt Expressway by Awgu Local Government Area of the state, recently.
Igbere TV gathered that the affected tunnel and caves serves as a hideout and escape route for kidnappers and criminals operating in the area.
Ugwuanyi also visited the Ihe-Agbogugu-Ogbaku-Amurri and Isu-Awaa-Agbudu forests in the same local government area, ordering the immediate demolition of Agbogugu and Isu-Awaa-Agbudu caves to enhance the security of the areas.
While inspecting the ongoing construction of a military base along Enugu-PortHarcourt Expressway, the governor disclosed that a joint security patrol team will commence an extensive surveillance of the affected areas to ensure maximum security.
Speaking with Igbere TV, Prof. Simon Uchenna Ortuanya, Secretary to Enugu State government, said the development was in line with the governor’s commitment to expose all criminal elements in the state.
Prof. Ortuanya added that the clearing of forests from Four Corner-Ozalla-Udi road through Nvene River up to Obinagu junction in Udi Local Government Area of the state, had commenced.
“This exercise is consistent with the state government’s firm commitment to expose all hideouts of kidnappers and other criminal elements in the state”, he said.
“Residents of these areas and road users are advised to be cautious while plying the road”, the SSG added.
He revealed that the governor paid unscheduled visits to Agbudu Community in Awgu LGA and security checkpoints along Four Corner-Ozalla-Udi road, as well as Udi Forest, where he had interactions with the policemen on duty and some villagers.
A resident in the area, Okechukwu Nnamdi, while praising the state government for the steps taking so far to end criminal activities, called on the governor to extend the exercise to other parts of the state.
“Our governor is doing well so far, we are happy with him seeing what he is doing currently on issues concerning insecurity in the state.
“I enjoin him to please, extend these activities and exercise to other criminal hideouts in the state to rid Enugu of kidnapping and robbery”, he said.
Another resident who gave her name simply as Ife, hailed the governor for the various initiatives and proactive stance of the state government, and other stakeholders who ensure peaceful co-existence in the state.
On his part, Emeka Ezechi, while speaking with our correspondent, commended Governor Ugwuanyi for transforming different parts of the state, noting that the governor is working to make Enugu habitable for all.
“I am pleased and happy as the state has great prospects with ‘Gburu-Gburu’ on the saddle of leadership”, he added.
