Abia State Government Commends Nigerian Army For Cleaning Market In Umuahia, Slams Police For Extortion

The Abia State Government has commended the 145 Battalion of the Nigerian Army for choosing to clean up the environment in Umuahia as part of their “Civic Activity” on Saturday , September 27, 2025.

The Commissioner for Environment, Philimon Ogbonna gave the commendation through the Permanent Secretary of the ministry of environment, Ikechukwu Oriuwa on Saturday while speaking to newsmen after monitoring the September edition of the monthly sanitation exercise in the state.

The soldiers were seen clearing the cutter, and sweeping the Ugwumabiri market around the Abia Tower, clearing a refuse dump at a motor park along the Enugu&Port Harcourt Expressway in Umuahia.

“In fact, today, the men of 145, battalion, Nigerian army, joined us to do the clean up. They started from Umuoriehi, around the Express Tower and they did wonderfully well. They cleaned the markets.”

“That shows that this campaign of His Excellency, Governor Alex Otti, is being imbibed by the entire public for them to cue to what we are doing. That shows that we are doing well.”

He expressed satisfaction on the level of compliance recorded in the sanitation exercise, saying the exercise was “a huge success”.

However, the commissioner berated officers and men of the Nigerian Police Force, especially those attached to the Central Police Station (CPS), Bende Road Umuahia, for diverting suspected defaulters to their stations where they extort money from them.

He described their attitude as sabotage to the efforts of the government of Abia State, led by Dr Alex Otti.

“The only problem we are having now is the security agencies. Some of them, some of the security agencies that have decided to sabotage what we are doing.”

He pleaded with them to complement the efforts of the government by bringing arrested persons to the sanitation court inside the premises of the Abia State High Court, Umuahia.

“So we plead with them to help us and assist. You know, when they make arrests, they bring them to the sanitation courts for them to be tried.”

“So I think I’m satisfied that today’s clean up is a success, a huge one”, he concluded.

Lending her voice, the Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment, Prof. Ijeoma Iheukwumere frowned at the attitude of young people in Umuahia metropolis who chose to use the period of the sanitation exercise to play football on different streets of the Umuahia Capital City.

She wondered why they chose to play football over participating in the clean up exercise, urging those in the act to desist and turn a new leaf.

When asked why the local government Mayors are not present to monitor and sensitize their people on the importance of the exercise as announced by the ministry.

Prof Iheukwumere assured that the government is working with the local council Mayors to ensure full and effective participation during the exercise.

“Definitely, we are still going to discuss that. We’ll still meet them, have meetings with them. And we’ve been doing that. Yes, because we know that some local governments are still not involved.”

A total of one hundred and three persons were arrested for violating the sanitation law, our of which, thirteen persons were discharged based on health issues, minors and those on essential duties.