Insecurity: Abia govt to revive 'Bakassi Boys' to police communities

Begins recruitment of 8, 980 youth to beef up vigilante outfit
· Orders security agents to search trucks carrying cows, onions
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, says he has directed the revival of the state’s vigilante services popular­ly known as Bakassi Boys to help improve security in the commu­nities in the state.

Ikpeazu disclosed this while reacting to the Thursday’s clash between the Army and butchers in Aba which left no fewer than two butchers dead while scores of others reportedlty sustained bul­let wounds.

The governor who expressed sadness over the Aba incident said he had also directed that new per­sons be recruited into the securi­ty outfit of the state, and that they should commence intensive train­ing to improve on their efficiency.

According to Ikpeazu, 10 youths are to be recruited from each of the 898 autonomous com­munities in the state, while the re­cruits will be trained by the police.

His words: “I have direct­ed that the men of the Abia State Vigilante Services (AVS), popular­ly known as Bakassi, commence, with immediate effect, a two week intensive training, for onward de­ployment to our communities to assist in community policing un­der the supervision of the Com­missioner of Police.

“All traditional rulers in the state are required to submit names of 10 youths from their commu­nity to the Commissioner for Lo­cal Government and Chieftain­cy Affairs from Tuesday 10th to Wednesday 11th May 2016. These youths will be enlisted into the Abia State Vigilante Services (AVS)”.

Ikpeazu also said security agencies had been directed to thoroughly screen every truck car­rying cows and foodstuff to the state to ensure weapons are not concealed in them.

“I have mandated the law en­forcement agencies to search and screen all trucks and vehicles conveying livestocks, food items and persons into the state from any part of the country. The law enforcement agencies will also search and screen markets and settlements where livestocks and dealers are, to ensure security.

“The Government of Abia State has constituted a Farmers/Herdsmen Conflict Resolution Committee. The Commissioner of Police will head the committee. Other members of the committee are: The Brigade Commander, State Director of DSS, State Com­mandant of the NSCDC, the Na­val Commander, Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Spe­cial Adviser to the Governor on Special Duties, State Chairman of Christian Association of Nige­ria (CAN), Miyetti Allah and Sa­raki Hausa.

The governor therefore, urged the people “to report any suspi­cious movement of strange per­sons within our communities to the Traditional Rulers or call any of the following Police Emer­gency Control phone numbers: 08079210003, 08079210004, 08079210005, 08035425405 for prompt deployment of a Rap­id Response Unit formed for the purpose of security alert.”