Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Enugu State Government has denied reports of the return of kidnapping and robbery along the ever busy Ugwuogo-Opi-Ekwuegbe road in the state.
It would be recalled that in the past two weeks, there have been several reports of incidents of kidnapping and robbery along this road with pictures and videos flying around in the social media.
But in a statement signed by the Governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Reuben Onyishi, he denied any incident of kidnapping and other criminal activities.
“Ugwuogo-Opi-Ekwuegbe road is safe,” he said.
Also, the Police Command in the state had described the video showing passengers scampering for safety in the bush while being robbed at gunpoint, as fake.
The command said they were doing everything possible to get rid of criminals along the route while assuring motorists and commuters of their safety at all times.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Nsukka Local Government Area, Mr Walter Ozioko last Friday launched a security crack team to patrol the road and deal ruthlessly with any marauders operating on the road.
Ozioko said the reaction was to help other security operatives on the road to tackle the menace of kidnapping and robbery along the route.
However, a security expert, Lt Col. Aaron Ugwu (rtd), said it was wrong for the government to deny any incident of kidnapping and robbery along the route.
According to him, the government did not need to deny, but to be proactive in tackling the issue with strong assurance to the citizens.
“It is counter productive; you can’t win the people’s heart by denying what the people are seeing and feeling the pains directly, ” he said.
He said there was the need for the government to do everything to rid the road and other danger spots in the state of criminal elements.
He lamented that Enugu State was becoming insecure with all manner of criminality in all nook and cranny of the state.
He also advised the police to double their efforts in tackling insecurity in the state.
