Abia Suspends Humanitarian Exercise Over Crime Wave

The ongoing Humanitarian Demining Exercise in Abia State has been suspended, Mr Bala Yakubu, the Chief Consultant to the Ministry of Defence on Humanitarian Demining Project, has said.

Yakubu told newmen in Umuahia on Thursday that the exercise was suspended due to the rising spate of crime in the area.

He said that the team of de-miners would return to the state as soon as the security situation improves.

Yakubu said: “So far, we have cleared seven local government areas of Explosive Remnants of War (ERW) within the 15 days we worked. A total of 1981mm mortar bombs and seven 82mm bombs were recovered.

“We also recovered some quantity of exploded mortar bombs, rifle magazines and one dane gun buried in the ground as well as some quantity of disused small arms and ammunition.”

The consultant said that the team also identified and enumerated some ERW victims and cleared a few war relics and sites like the Ojukwu Bunkers located at Afara Technical School, Umuahia and Methodist College, Uzuakoli.

Yakubu said that the bombs recovered would be stockpiled at the Mine Action Centre, Owerri, pending further recoveries so that destruction would take place in Abia “as soon as the Ministry of Defence directs”.

He said that Obingwa in Isiala Ngwa North and part of Isiala Ngwa South, Ugwunagbo and Ukwa West Local Government Areas that had not been scanned contained more unexploded ordnances and ERW.

Yakubu assured the people that the team would resume work “as soon as the security situation normalises”.

The local government areas cleared of landmines, unexploded ordnances and ERW are Arochukwu, Bende, Ohafia, Isuikwuato, Ikwuano, Osisioma and part of Isiala Ngwa South.