By Tony Adibe
The Owelle Ejikeme Odumegwu Foundation (OEO) has donated a well-furnished station to Nigeria Police in Enugu State to support Federal and state governments’ efforts in fighting crime and criminality.
The OEO Foundation newly built police station is furnished with solar lights, adequate offices furnishing with public conveniences with tiles, standard perimeter fencing and outer barb wire fencing of the entire land space of the station to forestall land encroachment.
Inaugurating the Police Station located at Petsan Layout, Ogurugu Etteh in Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area on Sunday, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Kanayo Uzuegbu, noted that the station would help in clamping down on kidnappers, night marauders, cultists, and heinous crimes.
Uzuegbu, represented by the Police Area Commander of Udenu Area Command, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Ukwa Amanga, said that the police station came at the right time, noting: “There will be no hiding place for criminals within this axis of the state”.
“I am highly elated to be here. I have known the Founder of OEO Foundation, Owelle Ejikeme Odumegwu, for a long time and it was for the same reason that we are here for today that brought us together then. Owelle has been standing behind the Nigeria Police and giving us support in so many areas and I do not think the history of Nigeria Police will be complete without mentioning his name.
“He has done so much for Enugu State Police Command. I was aware when he renovated the Commissioner’s office at police headquarter in Enugu; he renovated so many police division in the state and we are here to commission a police station built single handedly by him.
“It is only God that will bless you and your Foundation. God will replenish your source,” he said. The commissioner assure that police personnel would make judicious use of the station and its facilities.
“We give God the glory that the crime rate has started reducing drastically; while this police station and the present of officers that will man the station will bring the crime rate the barest minimum on this road and the adjoining communities in this council area.
“We want everybody to give us support, it is not one man’s support. Owelle Odumegwu has done his part and its now the turn of the community to give us their support by giving us information. If you see something say something and say it to the right person,” he said.
Earlier, Odumegwu said that he built the police station to compliment the only police station at the local government headquarter, stressing that it would help Nigeria Police respond to distress calls when the need arises. He said that the station is situated on a large expanse of land, measuring 6,608.52 square meter, fenced all round with solar lights and I have also promised to build a shelter for the officers working here.
He said: “Like Nostradamus, I peeped into the future over some decades and rather than build industries and factories, it interested me most to build a facility for the police.
“I will proudly state also that my value for security and for the protection of life and property has prompted my renovating over 30 dilapidated police stations in Enugu State single handedly.
“I also renovated the CP’s building at the Command Headquarters and over one kilometre perimeter fencing of the Divisional Police Headquarters Enugu- ezike in 2018. This prevented the intrusion of unknown gunmen in the recent attack of the division.”
According to him, recently, resource persons in a security summit organized by Enugu State government (Gov. Mbah) and state Police Command, theorises that security actually is a catalyst to community development.
Odumegwu, who is also the Director of OEO Foundation, noted that it was important to mention that the new station, which would be a divisional headquarters, is so strategically placed at the border between and connecting Northern Nigeria, South-East and South-South states of Nigeria.
He said there is no other police presence within a radius of over 40km from Enugu-Ezike Police Station which is said to be the most populous community in the whole of West Africa, housing over 42 villages.
Odumegwu, who made a vow to continue supporting the Nigera Police in combating crimes, urged the Nigerian Police to embrace a proactive and informed approach of crime-fighting through intelligence- led policing.
“Since, policing involves everyone, community policing should not only be encouraged but should be seen as a powerful tool for effective and pragmatic crime prevention in our rural communities,” he added.
In a message, the Igbo-Eze North Local Government Chairman, Prince Ejike Itodo, expressed delighted on the rare donation, saying: “What happened today shows there is still hope in Igbo-Eze North council area”.
Itodo, represented by the Leader of legislators in the council, Mr Fabian Eze, noted that Owelle and his foundation had contributed immensely to the peace being enjoyed today by the people of the council area.
Speaking, Dr Sally Adukwu, former Member Economic Advisory Committee to the President, commended Owelle and his Foundation for his bold step to built the police station, stressing that he remained “a leader per excellence and problem solvers”.
“Owelle Odumegwu has done what the government officials could not do, and I advise that our people should queue behind him in all he does to ensure peace and development in the area,” Adukwu, who is also National President, National Association of Proprietors of Private School (NAPPS), said.
The President-General of the community, Mr Obunwa Mamah, lauded Owelle and his Foundation; adding that all the council of elders, cabinet member and leaders extend their appreciation.
