The Acting Inspector-General Of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, has flagged off a new operation in the South-East to restore peace in the region.
The operation, code-named ‘Operation RP’, according to a statement signed by Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mba, was launched today at the Michael Okpara Square, Enugu.
According to him, this is part of efforts targeted at returning the South-Eastern region to its historical pride of place where its people are known to be peaceful, tolerant, innovative, industrious and entrepreneurial.
In the last one month, the South-East has witnessed a frightening surge in criminal activities with police stations and other government facilities coming under attack.
But the IGP promised that the trend of murderous attacks, violence, proliferation of weapons and other threats to law and order occasioned by the separatist agenda being heightened by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN) will be halted.
Mba revealed that the ‘Operation’ will be carried out by operatives of the Force in collaboration with the Armed Forces, the intelligence community and other sister security agencies.
He said the IGP observed that activities of the group in the region have assumed an armed dimension in which important political and community leaders as well as personnel and assets of the Nigeria Police, Military and other security agencies, critical national infrastructure are being constantly targeted in clearly well-coordinated, premeditated manners.
The IGP, however, noted that the operation will be replicated in other parts of the country, to address peculiar crimes including banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, amongst others.
In his remarks, the host Governor, the Executive Governor of Enugu State, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, commended the IGP for initiating the special operation.
He described the operation as timely, and believes it will help in rejigging and re-tooling the security architecture of the South-East. Other dignitaries at the event are; the Deputy Governors of Abia, Ebonyi and Imo States, traditional rulers, religious leaders, amongst others.
