No further humiliation of commuters at checkpoints will be tolerated — Reps

House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Insecurity, Assassination and Banditry in Isuikwuato/Umunneochi Federal Constituency, has told security agencies to stop the alleged humiliation and dehumanisation of commuters at checkpoints, in the South-East geo-political zone.

The committee held a town hall meeting with stakeholders and relevant security agencies in the constituency, at Isuikwuato, over the weekend, where the people complained bitterly about the humiliation. The committee frowned at the act, and asked the security agents involved to desist from such disdainful treatment.

Chairman of the ad-hoc committee, and member representing Ikwuano/Umuahia North/ Umuahia South, Hon. Obi Aguocha, said that the lawmakers would no longer tolerate any form of dehumanisation of innocent citizens at checkpoints in the South East.

Adding his voice, Hon. Amobi Ogah representing Isuikwuato-Umunneochi federal constituency, said security operatives should devise better ways of detecting criminals, rather than hiding under the guise of searching for criminals to dehumanize innocent travelers.

“From today, my people should no longer be humiliated. The humiliation is enough. Even when it is raining, people are asked to alight from their vehicles and trek over checkpoints. This is bad!

“ We know it’s not easy for the security agents as they have been also killed but that process is not the way to save your lives”.

The lawmaker who argued that the festering insecurity in the South East might not be unconnected with the continued detention of the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, called on the Federal Government to heed the growing clamour for Kanu’s release and free him without further delay.

“We are begging the Federal Government to release Nnamdi Kanu. It will help us to know the actual problem we are facing”.

Recall that the motion that led to the setting up of the ad-hoc committee was moved on the floor of the House of Representatives by Hon. Ogah.

The Chairman of the Committee had earlier explained that the town hall meeting was to engage with stakeholders in the constituency to brainstorm on how to end the menace of insecurity in the area.

“ We came to note your concerns. You reside in this environment and are often the victims. We have had three public hearings including with the Heads of security agencies.”

Rep. Aguocha noted that there had been a significant reduction in the spike of insecurity in the constituency following the recent launch of Operation Crush by the Abia State Government.

He promised to work with the State Government and relevant stakeholders in restoring security to the constituency.

“Where we can use legislation to increase resources for our security agencies, we will not fail to do that,” he said.

The lawmakers urged the people to voice their concerns and volunteer any ideas that could help proffer solutions to the challenges of insecurity in the constituency.

Meanwhile, different speakers at the townhall meeting, identified the presence of the Regional Cattle Market at Lokpanta, as the major cause of insecurity in the area, and called for its relocation.

They alleged that the market provides cover for criminals behind the orgy of kidnapping, banditry, and assassination in the area.

The stakeholders also called for the immediate ejection of all those residing inside the market, insisting that it should be fenced and converted to only day market.

According to the stakeholders, the cattle market not only habours criminals but also serves as a centre for the distribution of hard drugs, immorality, and other heinous crimes.

A woman leader in Umuchime, Mrs Ijeoma Adim, lamented that cows had destroyed the only source of drinking water in the community, and called on the government to sink boreholes for the people.

She also alleged that their farmlands had been destroyed by cattle and called for an immediate end to open grazing in the area.

Methodist Bishop of Umunneochi Diocese, Bishop IK Tasie, decried the activities of bandits and kidnappers in the area, saying that the religious lives of the people had been badly affected, as locals now live in fear.

He called for the identification through aerial surveillance, and dismantling of the hideout of the criminals.

The stakeholders also called for profiling of herders in the area to fish out criminal elements among them.

They called for the rehabilitation of all bad roads in the constituency as the criminals have converted such spots into striking points as motorists try to slow down due to bad roads.

The stakeholders also suggested the clearing of the bushes around the roads to enable drivers to have a wider view of the environment as they drive.

They further called for the creation of job opportunities for the youths to avoid getting recruited into the crime industry as a result of idleness.

The stakeholders further suggested the erection of security towers at strategic locations on the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway that passes through the constituency; the installation of security cameras, and the use of drones for surveillance.

In a remark, the Vice Chancellor, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, MOUAU, Professor Maduebibisi Ofo Iwe, who hails from Isuochi, regretted that he had not been able to travel home as he used to do because of the spike in criminal activities in the area.