. Vows to fish out perpetrators 

. We ‘re still gathering information – Police

By Steve Oko

UMUAHIA – Abia State Government, has cleared the air on the Monday morning raid by unknown gunmen in Aba, the commercial capital of the state, explaining that no security agent was killed during the attack.

Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, who confirmed the attack during a press conference on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting in Umuahia, said the hoodlums operating in three vehicles stormed the commercial city, and were engaged by security agents.

The invaders were said to have been overpowered by the superior power arms of the security operatives leading to the death of one of the assailants on the spot.

One of their operating vehicles (a sienna) was said to have gone up in flames apparently following the gun duel that ensued between them and security agents.

Another vehicle a highlander jeep, belonging to the hoodlums, was abandoned and recovered by security operatives while the hoodlums who escaped with bullet wounds fled the scene in their third vehicle (a Lexus jeep).

The Information Commissioner accused disgruntled elements unhappy with the level of development driven by the Alex Otti-led administration, of masterminding the occasional attacks on security operatives in Aba.

He, however, disclosed that the Governor had given a marching order for the perpetrators to be mauled down, vowing that no part of the state will be a breeding ground for criminals.

” The State Government has zero tolerance for criminal activities, and will not allow anybody to destroy the modest gains of the Otti-led administration”, he vowed.

Responding to an inquiry on the number of casualties recorded during the attack, Special Adviser to the Governor on  Security, Navy Commander Macdonald Ubah (retd.), said that besides the one hoodlum killed at the scene of the attack, another member of the criminal gang who escaped with bullet wounds was also reported dead.

He said the fleeing criminals were trailed to a bush on the Aba -Port Harcourt Expressway where they had gone to probably bury their dead colleague when they sighted security operatives and fled again.

The SA explained that apart from the two casualties from the attackers, no other casualties were so far recorded.

He said that Government had adopted a new approach in its determination to flush out criminal elements from the state.

Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Maureen Chilaka, had told Vanguard that the police command was still gathering details of the incident, and would later issue a statement after its findings.

Speaking on the second quarter expenditure releaseed Sunday night, Commissioner for Budget & Planning, Mr Kingsley Anosike, said Abia had recorded 94% of its N16 billion target from donor agencies in the 2024 budget.

According to him, the state is now receiving unsolicited funds from donors who are impressed with the developmental strides of the current administration in the state.

He equally disclosed that the state had as at June 2024, recorded 83% of its statutory revenue, plus N16.4 billion internally generated revenue.

On the expenditure index, the Commissioner said the state had so far recorded a total of N108.9 billion comprising 27.3 % capital, and 29.9 recurrent expenditures.

He, however, explained that the State Government had no plans to expand its N554 billion total budget outlay for the fiscal year.

Responding to an inquiry on whether the renovation of the new Government House project was contained in the 2024 budget, Anosike said it was not captured in the budget but explained it would be accommodated in the ongoing budget virement.

Recall that Gov. Otti had during a commissioning event at Arochukwu, over the weekend, hinted that the new Government House would soon be renovated.

Commissioner for Information, also disclosed that the State Government, had during the Exco meeting, inaugurated the Abia State Council on the Ease of Doing Business.

The Council chaired by the Deputy Governor, Ikechukwu Emetu, was part of the efforts of the Otti’s administration to make Abia a preferred destination for investors.