The Association of Luxury Bus Owners of Nigeria (ALBON), Aba chapter, in conjunction with the Abia State Government, has launched a security task force to eradicate the consumption and sale of illicit drugs and fight crime in the Milverton axis of Aba.
Obilor Anyanwu, chairman of Aba South Local Government Area, announced the partnership on Saturday during the inauguration of the security task force at Milverton Road luxury bus terminal.
He said that the establishment of the security task force is to protect the lives and property of citizens and improve the ease of doing business.
He noted that the ease of doing business cannot be feasible without the proper functioning of the transportation subsector.
Anyanwu lamented that from the Milverton Road luxury bus terminal, a dangerous criminal gang is growing and expanding to Asa Road, Azikiwe, East and York streets.
He said that the criminal activities, which included open hard drug sales and consumption, snatching of people’s belongings, and even rape, are going on in the area.
Anyanwu said that such illegal activities are hampering businesses and creating a bad impression of Abia in the eyes of visitors, who have been victims, hence the need to stop them now.
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“Today, on Milverton Road and around the park, hard drug consumption is practised openly, stealing, even rape and other crimes are perpetrated along Asa Road, Azikiwe, Milverton, around Aba Main Park, and York Street.
“People can no longer come out as early as 4:30 am to beat early transportation targets.
“It has now become worrisome, because there are dangerous spots on Milverton Road, where the criminals hide, but we shall fish them out to ensure such activities are nipped,” he said.
Anyanwu warned the Taskforce members not to give information to the criminals, which would enable them to attack the park and its functionaries.
He warned that any one of them caught doing so would face justice, as the government will not spare such a bad person.
“My message is simple; in our local parlance, we say, “We cannot avoid killing a mosquito, because we don’t want our palm to be dented with blood”.
“Anybody who thinks he wants to continue to feed on crime should please leave Abia State for us, because we cannot cede any inch of this town or this State to any criminal,” he said.
Anyanwu said that the State is willing to take steps to integrate such criminals into society if they genuinely want to change.
Chibueze Chikelu, the chairman of ALBON, Abia chapter, said that the initiative was born out of the desire to benefit visitors and residents of Aba and Abia.
He said that the association decided on their own to end every kind of criminal activity on Milverton Road, hosting the Aba luxury bus Park and asked for the government’s assistance.
He urged anyone without a job who is hanging around Milverton Road to commit crimes to find a job and be creatively engaged.
Chidiebere Okpaleke, divisional Police Officer, Central Police Station, Aba, Superintendent, said that the essence of the Taskforce is to ensure security.
Okpaleke, who noted that without security, there cannot be any meaningful development, urged the Taskforce members to work within the ambit of the law.
He promised to work with them and asked them to report all security threats to security agencies within Aba and to abide by the code of conduct for the Taskforce.
