‘Enugu will remain safest, most-secured state in Nigeria’

Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has reiterated his administration’s resolve to ensure that the state remains the safest and most-secured in the country.

Gov. Ugwuanyi said this on Monday in Enugu at the public presentation of a book entitled: “Effective policing and security in south-east Nigeria.’’

The book, which has three major parts was written by retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Celestine Okoye.

The governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Simon Ortuanya, said security had remained his administration’s primary concern.

He said that the enormous investment in the area of security had led to the pervading peace and tranquility in all the nooks and crannies of the state.

According to him, Enugu State is the first state to implement the Forest Guard after the decision to set-up the outfit was reached by the South-East Governors’ Forum, just as the state was the first in the zone to set-up a community policing committee.

He said: “As a government, we take the provision of security very seriously, as every responsible government will do.

In 2018, a study by the police declared Enugu as the safest and most secured state in the country.

“This has helped to uplift the socioeconomic status of the state by moving our position in the ease of doing business to fifth in the country.

“It has also helped us to digitalize our economy and operate the Treasury Single Account (TSA) to ensure financial prudence.”

Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Ahmad Abdurrahman, said that aside the book being about effective policing in the south-east zone, it would go long way in providing security solution to the entire country and Africa at large.

“The author being someone who had gotten years of experience and tour of duty as a police officer within and outside the country had put down a book to help fight insecurity in its entirety within Africa.

“The book gave practical and real-time approach on how security challenges can be collectively fought with results achieved,’’ Abdurrahman said.

The police commissioner also lauded Okoye for the intellectual work and for putting down his experiences and thoughts for others to learn from.

Reviewer, of the book Prof. Charles Ogbologu, represented by Dr. Alphonsus Ihenacho, said that the 14-chapter book expressed the various concerns of the people of the zone as regards the current security challenges plaguing the country.

“The book under review gives an overview of the security situation and how to use community policing and modern technology as well as gadgets to fight insecurity in the zone.

“The book also educates the citizens on their responsibilities for effective policing and what they can do to contribute to security, peace and progress of their communities,’’ he said.

Author of the book, Okoye described the book as a child of necessity, adding that “if we sincerely love ourselves, I believe that there would be no insecurity in the first place.

When you go through this book, you will know a lot concerning insecurity, even the one happening in your kitchen.’’