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The Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mr Danmallam Mohammed, has said that the police and sister security agencies will mop-up all illegal firearms in the state.
Danmallam said this in an address at a one-day security meeting with relevant stakeholders held in Enugu.
He said that the security meeting had become necessary given some recent emerging security threat, the up-coming Ember months as well as the forthcoming councils election in the state in November.
The commissioner noted that a lot of illegal firearms and dangerous weapons were in the hands of many youths and even adults in the state.
“This ugly development has resulted to unfortunate incidents causing death of many promising young men and women.
“As we draw closer to the conduct of the local government elections in the state, I am of the opinion that all of us should think outside the box to see how this ugly monster can be checkmated,’’ he said.
He said that the state police command was investigating alleged nefarious activities involving some members of neighbourhood watch groups; which included: kidnapping, armed robbery, rape, murder among others.
“The essence of this meeting is to re-awaken our consciousness on the reason why these neighbourhood watch groups are set up in the first place and proffer solutions that will ensure that their activities are always within the ambit of the law,’’ he noted.
Danmallam said that Chief Security Officers (CSO) of tertiary institutions should retrace the step of giving pump action guns to their security personnel; adding: “My question is; for what reason? Has our tertiary institutions become theatre of war?’’.
The commissioner, however, said that “Enugu State is relatively peaceful and we (police) are poised to continue to maintain the tempo and to improve, where necessary’’.
According to him, we shall continue to appreciate the support of our dear governor, Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and the Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, for providing the enabling environment and necessary logistics for us to perform.
“You will agree with me that the population of the state is increasing on a daily basis and as such both business and criminal activities are also increasing; therefore, there is need for us to re-strategies and synergies with relevant stakeholders to make sure that Enugu remains safe and secured,’’ he said.
The meeting was attended by traditional rulers; leaders of Hausa, Fulani and Yoruba communities; top officers of state niegbourhood watch groups, retired military officers as well as top officers of sister security agencies in the state.
The state Commissioner for Poverty Reduction and Human Capital Development, Mr Obinna Mbaeke and retired Brig.-Gen. Fred Ezeh, the Special Adviser to Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi on Security Matters also attended the meeting.
