Abia State Governor Alex Otti on Tuesday launched 'Operation Crush', a joint taskforce of Police, Army, Navy and other security agencies to swiftly identify, analyse and respond to security threats from and within any part of the State.

Gov Otti also  inaugurated 20 Toyota Hilux patrol vans equipped with communication gadgets to facilitate the operations of the taskforce


The vehicles were distributed to the security formations in the state, including the Police, Army, Navy, DSS and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), with the police receiving the lion’s share.



In his address, the state governor said that Operation Crush is a well planned, coordinated response to root out every form of criminality in God’s own state.



He said: “This special operation is technically set up to swiftly identify, analyse and respond to security threats from and within any part of the state.


“As the codename indicates, the goal is to counter with necessary force, any incidence of kidnapping, armed robbery and other forms of violent crimes anywhere in the State.


“We shall no longer share an inch with the criminals. The joint security task force that makes up the operation crush is expected to dislodge criminals from their hideouts,” he said.


“The outfit will also go after those that harbour criminals, be they traditional rulers, politicians, individuals who may be in the business of orchestrating insecurity in the state.


“Huge resources have been expended on this project because the lives of Abians are paramount at this time.


“It is only when we have a crisis-free environment that we will be able to tackle the issue of unemployment because no society thrives in an unsafe environment.

“Operation crush will also work with the traditional rulers who will continue to give them vital information about the criminal hideouts, to enable the security agents to record success in their assignment.


“Insecurity is a menace and must be chased away at all costs. I enjoin all Abians to contribute to fighting insecurity in our state.”





Additional sources: thecable.ng