Abia Refurbishes Abandoned Police Armored Personnel Carriers To Tackle Insecurity

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has fulfilled his commitment to security enhancement by refurbishing five abandoned Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC) vehicles and handing them over to the Nigerian Police Force.

The vehicles, which were in a state of disrepair upon his assumption of office, have now been retrofitted to support law enforcement efforts in the state.

Speaking during the handover ceremony on Thursday at Government House, Umuahia, Governor Otti recounted the condition in which his administration met the vehicles and the decision to restore them.

“When we came in exactly 20 months ago, on the 29th of May 2023, we saw these vehicles in very terrible states of disrepair,” he stated.

Determined to maximise government assets, the governor authorised the repair of the vehicles, emphasising their long-term value.

“Being that I know that these vehicles have a long staying power, we took a very principal decision to refurbish one or two of them. By the time we started, we found out that it was not too difficult and therefore I authorised that about six of them be repaired.

“Five of them are ready, while we are still struggling with the last one. Five of them have been completely retrofitted and they’re as good as new. It’s all about maintenance, and we believe that never again would we allow our assets to be dilapidated in this state. A lot of things that we throw away can be easily fixed, and we have demonstrated it,” Governor Otti affirmed.

The governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to maintenance culture, stating that negligence of public assets leads to excessive repair costs. He urged officers entrusted with the vehicles to prioritise regular maintenance.

“So I will charge the men that would use it to ensure they’re used carefully, and anything that needs to be repaired, repair it quickly because if you don’t, you will spend two three times to repair it. And I am glad that we’re here today to return five of them to the police,” he stated.

In response, the Commissioner of Police, Abia State, CP Danladi Isa, expressed gratitude to the Governor for his unwavering support to the Nigerian Police.

He acknowledged that the refurbished APCs would enhance security operations and assured that they would be used effectively.

Abia Refurbishes Abandoned Police Armored Personnel Carriers To Tackle Insecurity is first published on The Whistler Newspaper