Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia has charged the new General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu, to battle kidnapping and violent crimes in Umunneochi and Ohafia local government areas of the state.
Ikpeazu gave the charge while receiving the new GOC of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army Enugu, Maj.-Gen. Umar Musa.
This is contained in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Onyebuchi Ememanka in Aba.
Musa took over from Maj-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja who is now the GOC, Commanding 1 Mechanized Division, Kaduna.
The new 82 Div. GOC whose division superintends over Ikpeazu’s Abia, visited to announce his assumption of command to the Governor.
The Enugu Division GOC works with the governors under the division on security matters, hence the familiarisation tour of Umar to the state.
Ikpeazu, while welcoming the new GOC, assured him of the usual cooperation of the state government and people of Abia in the discharge of his current assignment.
The Governor informed the GOC that Abia was substantially safe except for a few places, especially around Umunneochi and Ohafia local government areas where there were pockets of security breaches and violent crimes.
He, therefore, urged him to rise to the challenge of battling violent crimes and kidnapping in those areas, to improve Abia’s security.
The GOC was accompanied on the visit by the Commander of the 14 Brigade, Ohafia, Abia, AdegBrig.-Gen. Oke Adetuyi and other senior officers.
The Abia Commissioner for Homeland Security, Mr Sopuruchi Bekee, was present at the event.