From Maurice Okafor,Enugu
The Enugu state government has tasked the Neighbourhood associations in the state to operate within their jurisdiction and laws and guidelines, establishing the organisation,stating they are still subordinate to the law enforcement agencies, especially the Nigerian police force.
The Director, Neighbourhood watch in Enugu state, an agency under the state ministry of capital development and poverty reduction,Hon Ozomgbachi Uchenna gave this caution at the weekend, at the inauguration of the reconstituted neighbourhood watch of Ishiagu Akpawfu community, in Nkanu East local government area of Enugu state.
He charged the group numbering over thirty able bodied men not to take laws into their hands but to hand over any person they caught involved in any crime related activity to the police for prosecution.
He stated,”The duty of Neighbourhood watch group and the Vigilante groups are to identify and inform the police of crime related issues. You must not over step your boundary. You are the eyes and ears of the Nigerian Police. Your appointment is to contribute in the security strength of your community(Ishiagu Akpawfu), it is not a certificate to intimidate others”.
Ozomgbachi tasked the town union of the community to provide them with the basic materials needed to facilitate their duties,urging the group to imbibe due process and transparency in managing every fund donated to them for sustenance of security in their community.
The chairman of reconstitute Akpawfuu neighbourhood,Hon Anthony Nnam, assured that his group will work exceedingly to improve on the detorirating security challenge of the community. He pleaded for lock up gates at the boundaries with other communities, to enable them monitor suspicious movements to and from the community,especially in late hours of the night.
The high point of the inauguration was donation six electronic gazettes(Walk talky) to group by some concerned Youths of the community,living in townships.
The chairman of the concerned Akpawfuu citizens,Prince Anthony Ike Okoye,told news men that the detorirating security situation in their community have been a major concern to most of them living in the cities. Therefore, they have come together to tackle the challenge.
According to him,his members also sponsored the provision of the uniforms and boots provided for each member of the group and have made provision for payment of monthly stipend to every member of the group. He promised that additional security gadgets will be bought for them,while re orientation and re orientation of members of the group by law enforcement agencies, for improved performance, will also be inculcated.
