The Asagba of Asaba, Asagba Prof Epiphany Chigbogu Azinge, SAN, OON, has expressed concern about the mass influx of persons suspected go be traditional medicine practitioners from the neighboring Anambra state, following recent developments in that state arising from the killing of a Legislator, Hon Justice Azuka, among others.
Anambra Governor, Prof Charles Soludo, recently announced a clamp down on native doctors suspected to be aiding ritual killings, related crimes and criminality in the eastern state, which had led to many of them taking refuge in Asaba.
Briefing newsmen at his Palace in Asaba on Thursday, Asagba Prof Azinge said, though Asaba was a hospitable community, he would not allow persons of questionable character to turn the peaceful and law abiding community to a safe haven for their nefarious activities.
The highly esteemed monarch, who had earlier announced a ban on the activities of ‘ Eze Nwanyi ‘ not of Asaba origin, pointed out that the Otu Ihaza Ahaba had been empowered to monitor the activities of traditional medicine practitioners in the community with a view to identifying those with dubious and evil intensions.
He added that visits to the Onishe shrine and the Anwai river in Asaba by all manner of persons had been prohibited with immediate effect, explaining that the Otu Ihaza Ahaba would be collaborating with the Delta State Traditional Medicine Board to sanitize traditional medicine practice in Asaba.
Asagba Prof Azinge further revealed that a Committee had been set up for ‘ Operation Know Your Tenants ‘ in Asaba as part of measures to check crimes and criminality in the community.
He said the Committee, with the personnel of some established security agencies as members, would soon be visiting apartments and hotels in Asaba to meet the occupants one-on-one, to be sure that no criminal element was allowed to take refuge in any part of the capital city.
The Asagba remarked that the Asaba community was fully in support of the efforts of government to ensure peace and security, but would continue to take proactive measures to make the area crime-free, more peaceful and safer for all.
