ABIA STATE GOVERNMENT HAILS NIGERIAN ARMY, CONDEMNS UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT DURING MONTHLY SANITATION EXERCISE

ABIA STATE GOVERNMENT HAILS NIGERIAN ARMY, CONDEMNS UNPROFESSIONAL CONDUCT DURING MONTHLY SANITATION EXERCISE

The Abia State Government has commended officers of the Nigerian Army’s 145 Battalion for their active and commendable participation in the state’s monthly environmental sanitation exercise, which held on Saturday across various parts of Umuahia.

The soldiers, who took part in the clean-up through civic engagement, were praised for clearing heaps of refuse at the Umuoriehi Motor Park, as well as at major markets, gutters, roads, and adjoining areas around the Express Tower axis.

Speaking during a monitoring tour of the exercise, the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Philemon Ogbonna.represented by the permanent Secretary of the Ministry , Mr. Ikechukwu Oriuwa, described the outing as “a huge success..”

Ogbonna lauded the Nigerian Army’s contribution as a model of shared civic responsibility, noting that more residents are increasingly keying into Governor Alex Otti’s sanitation initiative. “It is encouraging to see uniformed officers setting an example. This is what collective responsibility looks like,” he said.

However, the government expressed strong disapproval over what it described as the unprofessional conduct of some security agencies during the exercise.

According to

Ogbonna, certain security operatives allegedly arrested sanitation defaulters and diverted them to their private stations instead of taking them to the High Court in Umuahia for proper legal processing.

Echoing similar concerns, Professor Ijeoma Iheukwumere, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Environment, also praised the public turnout but condemned the actions of some law enforcement personnel. She decried reports that some youths used parts of Enugu Road in Umuahia for football matches during the sanitation period, contrary to state directives.

In terms of enforcement, 108 defaulters were apprehended during the exercise. Of these, 95 were prosecuted at the Umuahia High Court, while 13 individuals comprising minors, those with health challenges, and essential workers were released.

The state government reiterated its commitment to improving sanitation standards and called on all residents and agencies to align with its vision for a cleaner and healthier Abia.