August 06, (THEWILL) — The Special Assistant to the Governor of Ebonyi State on Capital City Security, Panchrist Eze, has debunked the existence of an illegal detention facility within the old Ebonyi State Government House.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday at Abakaliki, Eze said the state currently records zero incidents of kidnapping, corpse dumping, car snatching, and vandalism — crimes that have plagued other parts of the region.
According to him, Ebonyi state is now one of the safest in the South East, attributing the achievement to the robust synergy between security agencies and the Neighbourhood Watch.
“Why Ebonyi is the safest place in the South East, I can say, is because of the help of the security agencies. Neighbourhood Watch is, I can say, their number one,” Eze stated confidently.
He emphasised the operational structure of the state’s security team, explaining that Neighbourhood Watch officers across all 13 local government areas of the state work in close collaboration with the police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and drug enforcement agencies.
“Our role is to arrest and hand over suspects to the police for further investigation. In cases of vandalism or drug-related crimes, we also liaise with the Civil Defence and drug agencies,” he explained.
Eze refuted claims that there is an illegal detention facility within the Government House premises.
He clarified that suspects apprehended by Neighbourhood Watch operatives are only temporarily held at the security headquarters before being handed over to the appropriate authorities.
“There is no cell here. What we have is a holding centre where security personnel from all local governments bring suspects before proper transfer,” he added.
He also issued a stern warning to criminal elements still operating in hidden parts of the state.
“We don’t pity criminals if they are caught. After receiving our pursuit, nobody will tell you to leave the state,” he warned.
Eze commended the current administration for its investment in security infrastructure, stating that the state’s Neighbourhood Watch is fully equipped with modern gadgets and operational vehicles.
Recounting public feedback on the improved security atmosphere, he said, “One Ebonyi woman who visited last week told people that this is the first place where someone can sleep without hearing gunshots. People now move freely at night.”
While acknowledging that petty crimes like theft still occur occasionally, Eze assured the public that security agents are actively repelling such elements to maintain peace across the state.
The governor’s aide underscored the growing confidence of Ebonyi authorities in their grassroots-driven approach to state policing and community security.
Sunday Ogbu is a professional journalist with eight - twelve years experience that had worked with various print and online media. Sunday specializes in news reporting with the aim of educating his readers on current social, political and economic occurences within his area of coverage. Sunday is a strong force to work with in the media industry and uses his positive attitude and tireless energy to encourage others to work hard and succeed. Sunday is inspired daily by his wife and their four children. In his free time, Sunday likes sight-seeing, reading and discussing issues of societal interest.
