The General Manager of the Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA), Hon. Ogbonnia Okereke, has strongly condemned the recent violent incident in Umuahia involving a member of the disbanded monitoring team.
During a visit to the injured officer at the hospital, Hon. Okereke described the incident as unfortunate and unacceptable, stressing that no circumstance justifies acts of violence by personnel of the agency. He noted that established procedures exist for handling resistance encountered during official duties, and urged strict adherence to these guidelines.
The ASEPA boss recalled that the Umuahia monitoring team had been disbanded a few weeks ago due to unhealthy practices and allegations of high-handedness. He disclosed that the agency has constituted an interim 10-man monitoring team to operate pending the reconstitution of a full monitoring unit.
Hon. Okereke further revealed that the agency has continued to receive reports of attacks on environmental officers by offenders in Umuahia and surrounding areas, warning that the Abia State Government will not tolerate any assault on ASEPA personnel in the course of their lawful duties.
He also dismissed claims linking the incident to cult supremacy, urging the public to disregard such speculation, which he described as unfounded and misleading.
