Uchechukwu Nnaike
Senator Chukwuka Utazi, who represented Enugu North Senatorial District within the eighth meeting, has known as on President Bola Tinubu and Governor Peter Mbah to halt the continuing massacre in Uzo-Uwani Native Authorities Space of Enugu State.
Utazi stated that the pointless killings within the agrarian communities of Uzo-Uwani, following the slaughter of 4 individuals in Nimbo by suspected herdsmen final Sunday, have turned the world to a killing area and engendered panic amongst residents.
He famous that the constructing of a Cell Squadron Base at Nkpologu, which might have served as a swift response unit within the face of such safety threats, was politically thwarted by the previous administration of Enugu State, thereby exposing the huge areas of Uzo-Uwani to kidnappers and violent herdsmen.
The senator regretted that for the reason that 2016 bloodbath at Nimbo, no week has handed with out reviews of killings and maiming of natives by rampaging herdsmen.
Utazi, who was the Minority Whip within the ninth Meeting, recounted that within the wake of the 2016 bloodbath in Nimbo, he introduced the matter to the Senate plenaries, which prompted former President Muhammadu Buhari to dispatch IGP. Solomon Arase to the scene.
He stated that the IGP authorised the graduation and constructing of the Cell Squadron Base at Nkpologu and handed the letter personally to him to ship to the governor.
Nevertheless, “as soon as on receipt of the letter, he convened a gathering to alter the situation to his most popular website and within the course of robbed Uzo-Uwani LGA of a challenge that might have put paid to the fixed killings of our individuals,” he stated.
The senator famous that the prosecution of the 5 suspects apprehended in reference to Nimbo killings suffered setbacks attributable to lack of funds by the Enugu State Authorities to diligently perform the prosecution of the matter in courtroom.
He additional said that the previous governor arrange a panel of inquiry to unravel the rapid and distant causes of the 2016 Nimbo killings, however there have been no follow-ups on the matter and his private makes an attempt to convey the problem to governor’s consideration met vicious assaults from political sycophants and employed on-line mob.
He argued that if the suspects arrested in 2016 killings had been correctly prosecuted, final Sunday’s assault might as properly been averted.
Utazi defined that Uzo-Uwani has the most important landmass east of the Niger, with quite a few water our bodies and fertile lands that are main sights to herdsmen.
“That the Japanese Area Authorities sited Adarice Farm Settlement at Adani by Dr. M.I. Okpara, (late Premier of Japanese Nigeria), was not by chance or foyer. It was as a result of Adani and environs had comparative benefit over all different elements of the jap area for agriculture,” he added.
Despite the massive agricultural potential of the world, the lawmaker regretted that this yr ranked because the worst farming season within the historical past of Uzo-Uwani.
In response to him, natives, farming settlements and migrant farmers have since deserted their farms for worry of dying within the palms of gun-weilding herdsmen.
“Adani, the seat of farming in Enugu State, is now a shadow of its former self. Opanda Nimbo, a cosmopolitan city thickly populated by migrant farmers from all elements of Enugu State and past is now completely abandoned due to kidnappers and violent herdsmen,” he said.
Utazi suggested Governor Mbah to not observe the unacceptable path of his predecessor in workplace to find a long-lasting answer to the fixed killings of natives on common foundation.
He additionally known as on Mbah to facilitate the handing over of Nkpologu Divisional Police Station to the police with a view to make the place purposeful.
He defined that he constructed the station, in addition to residential quarters, and offered a purposeful borehole and Hilux automobile as his contribution to preventing insecurity in Uzo-Uwani.
Utazi additionally suggested the governor to revisit the report of the panel of inquiry on the 2016 Nimbo killings and presumably publish a white paper on it.
He urged the governor to direct the state lawyer normal and commissioner for justice to trace the matter of the 5 suspects arrested in reference to the 2016 Nimbo bloodbath and guarantee diligent prosecution till justice is duly served.