The Umuzuocha Awka community vigilante successfully apprehended a group allegedly stealing billboards along the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, near the Deeper Life Church close to Regina Junction, Awka. The suspects were caught red-handed early Tuesday morning, around 1 a.m.
The vigilante group, noticing suspicious activity in the area, swiftly mobilized and intercepted the suspects before they could escape.
Reacting to the incident, Commissioner for Information, Anambra State, Sir Paul Nwosu, commended the vigilante group for their swift action in apprehending the thieves. He emphasized that such thefts are detrimental to the state’s advertising revenue, which is vital for funding schools, hospitals, and other infrastructure projects.
“This serves as a warning to would-be thieves: there are stern consequences for stealing in Anambra State,” Nwosu stated.
The Managing Director and CEO of the Anambra State Signage and Advertisement Agency (ANSAA), Mr. Tony Odili Ujubuoñu, also expressed his appreciation for the vigilante group’s prompt action. He highlighted that the primary objective of last year’s Advertising Roundtable, organized by ANSAA, was to assure practitioners and clients that the government of Prof. Charles Soludo is committed to protecting their Out-of-Home Advertising investments.
Mr. Ujubuoñu condemned the acts of defacing and stealing billboards and materials posted on them, urging the public to remain vigilant and security-conscious to help the government curb these crimes.
