|
Listen to article
|
Enugu North’s Local Government Chairman, Dr. Ibenaku Harford Onoh, says real security starts in the neighborhoods — and on Friday, he put that belief on four wheels.
At the council’s monthly security meeting in GRA, Onoh handed over patrol vehicles to ward-level Neighborhood Watch groups and other agencies, describing the move as part of a deliberate push to “tighten the fence” around residents.
“Patrolling without mobility is like fighting with bare hands,” he told operatives. “These vans are tools, but the real shield is your integrity, discipline, and respect for human rights.”
The donation marks the first phase of his administration’s grassroots strategy, which includes training for operatives, provision of security equipment, and closer collaboration between agencies. Onoh promised more vehicles in the coming weeks to cover wards yet to benefit.
Security chiefs from the police, DSS, NSCDC, and Road Safety were present at the event, which doubled as a pep talk on vigilance and professionalism. Onoh stressed that patrol units must complement the state government’s ongoing anti-crime drive under Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah.
For the chairman, the symbolism was as important as the hardware. Soldiers, police officers, and neighborhood operatives stood side by side during the handover, a moment Onoh called an “interlocking shield” meant to reassure residents that protection doesn’t just come from the top, but from the ground up.
Read also: Enugu Govt Counters Sujimoto CEO Over EFCC Fraud Petition
The initiative has been received by residents as a practical step in tackling everyday threats, from petty theft to violent crime, that often slip past state-level interventions. Whether these new wheels translate into safer streets, however, will depend on how well the promise of grassroots security matches the lived reality on Enugu North’s roads.
