Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State yesterday, visited the vandalized and burnt Area Command Police Station in Nnewi, to assess the level of damage done on the station during the EndSARS Protests.
The governor’s visit came six days after the Nnewi Central Police station and the Area Command in Nnewi, were vandalized, looted and set ablaze by protesters.
In his reaction, governor Obiano wondered why people could be so daring to take laws into their hands, expressing sadness over the level of carnage there.
He was of the opinion that the crisis was majorly planned from there; saying that it was a food for thought for the stakeholders of the community.
He urged them to fish out the perpetrators of the heinous crime.
The governor also called on Nnewi people to rise to the occasion and rebuild the destroyed public properties.
He urged them to quickly galvanise and restore the place to what it was before and help the police replace over ten vehicles that were burnt there including an Armoured Personnel Carrier.
The governor equally emphasized the need to bring the perpetrators to book. “It is important once more that you fish out the criminal elements living in your community that perpetrate this kind of crime. They organized themselves from here in motorbikes and drove to so many communities where they raked havoc and came back to stay with you. That’s a dangerous thing to happen. So I am pleading with yourselves to please fish out those people”.
Governor Obiano also warned that the government of Anambra State will not tolerate such illegality, forthwith. “Let me warn, the government will not tolerate any harassment or intimidation of any law enforcement agent in Anambra state. You need to support the police for the police and the army and other people to support you. If you target them and intimidate them, then, they will not support you. Anambra Police and law enforcement agencies that have been here have been the best, that’s why we are the safest state in Nigeria. But we cant continue, if we harbour the kind of criminal elements that are here. You know them. I am very certain that you know
Earlier while briefing the governor, the state Commissioner of Police, John Abang, who was among the governor’s entourage, regretted that the police force lost two officers at the Central Police station, Nnewi.
He however, remarked that Area Command did not loose any officer.
He told the governor that Nnewi Central Police station and the Area Command in Nnewi, were vandalized, looted and set ablaze by hoodlums.
“At CPS Nnewi, after engaging them, we lost two officers, but here there was no casualty”, the CP said. Speaking on the level of destruction and carnage vented by the hoodlums, the CP said the facts Speak for themselves. “As you can see, all the vehicles, not just vehicles, everything was set ablaze. This was the first place (Nnewi) before they (the hoodlums) moved to other places”, Mr. Abang said.
