To stop incessant attacks on farming communities by armed criminals, a farm protection squad has been set up at Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area in Enugu State.
Also the council Chairman, Chijioke Ezugwu, at the weekend embarked on forest clearing to prevent further ambushes on motorists.
According to the council chairman, the squad would safeguard agricultural areas and ensure that farmers carried out their work without the fear of violence or destruction of their crops.
In a statement, the chairman’s Media Adviser, Chief Kingsley Onyeji, yesterday said the initiative was geared towards eliminating hiding spots for criminals and improving road safety.
Removing overgrown vegetation and ensuring that key routes are well-maintained would effectively reduce the risk of road ambushes and make travel safer for residents and visitors, he said.
“Uzo-Uwani has long been plagued by road ambushes, with criminals targeting travellers on key routes such as Ezukolo, Abbi, Nrobo, Nimbo roads and they have not only caused physical harm to individuals but have contributed to the general sense of insecurity within the communities.
“That is why the local government have undertaken the clearing of strategic roads to eliminate hiding spots for criminals and improve road safety.
“The chairman also created rapid response team within the neighbourhood watch equipped with vans and other modern communication systems and the team was designed to respond immediately to distress calls and emergency situations,” he added.
Chief Onyeji said the team had played a crucial role in minimizing the time between threat identification and action thereby reducing the opportunity for criminals to operate undetected.
“The team was trained to handle various types of emergencies, from violent attack to robberies road accidents. Their quick action has helped contain many incidents before they could escalate into larger, more violent confrontations,” said the council boss.
He assured that the community was safe and secure at all times.
The statement listed security measures taken by the Chairman as “recruitment and restructuring of neighbourhood watch, establishment of community farm protection squads, enhancement of intelligence gathering, procurement of security equipment, strengthening collaboration with formal security agencies, community sensitisation and stakeholders engagement.
“He has also charged traditional rulers in the area to avoid engaging in any form of land deals with foreigners who later turn out to be criminals and attack their people. He warned that henceforth, any traditional ruler seen to be involved in such unwholesome practice would be decisively dealt with.”
