The Abia Government has constituted a farmers/herdsmen conflict resolution committee.This is contained in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary of the state governor, Mr Godwin Adindu, made available on Friday.
“The Commissioner of Police will head the committee.
“The members of the committee are: The Brigade Commander, State Director of Department of State Services, State Commandant of the NSCDC, the Naval Commander, Special Adviser to the Governor on Security;
“Including the Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Duties, State Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Miyetti Allah and Sarkin Hausawa,’’ the statement read in part.
It added similar committees had been constituted in the 17 local government areas of the state.
“The Local Government Council Chairmen will head the committees in their LGAs while members of the committees are Divisional Police Officers in the LGAs, Local Government Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps heads,
“The Department of State Services Local Government Chiefs, LGA Chairmen of Traditional Rulers Council and LGA Heads of Hausa communities.
“The state government has mandated the law enforcement agencies to search and screen all trucks and vehicles conveying livestock, food items and persons into the state from any part of the country.
“The law enforcement agencies will also search and screen markets and settlements where livestock and dealers are, to ensure security.”
Besides, the statement said “traditional rulers have been instructed to submit the names of 10 youths from the 898 communities in Abia to the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
“And the names of these youths should be submitted between May 10 and 11, 2016, and enlisted into the Abia Vigilante Services.
“The men of the Abia State Vigilante Services are to commence a two-week intensive training for deployment to various communities to assist in community policing under the supervision of the Commissioner of Police’’.
It described the alleged killing of a butcher by a soldier at the popular abattoir located at the Ogbor hill area of Aba, as an unfortunate incident.
The statement urged the residents of Aba to remain calm and reassured the residents that government was doing everything to protect lives and property.