By Francis Igata

ENUGU—In a bid to compliment efforts of the security agencies in Enugu State, the state government has inaugurated 800 Neighbourhood Watch group in 472 communities in the state.

The groups are to work with security agencies in the state to ensure that crimes are reduced to the barest level, especially in the rural areas.

While announcing this, Commissioner for Human Capital and Poverty Reduction, Mr. Godwin Ogenyi, said: “In this year alone, we have inaugurated 230 Neighbourhood Watch groups. The idea is that we are striving to ensure that criminals do not have a hiding place, especially in the rural areas.

“We do not want a situation whereby criminal elements will hibernate in the rural areas, where the search light of security agencies will not easily reach them. Enugu has recorded remarkable feat as being relatively secured when compared to other states. Government will be paying the group members monthly stipends.

“Security equipment and gadgets are equally made available to them. Communities in the state should participate in securing their lives and property because that is the idea behind the establishment of Neighbourhood Watch groups. Its operations have made crime rate drop drastically in the state.”