A socio-cultural group, Issele-Uku Development Union (IDU), on Sunday said everyone had a role to play in making the environment secure, and their communities better.
The President of the Lagos Branch, Chief Innocent Nwakpati, the Omwogor 1 of Issele-Uku Kingdom, spoke during its end of year party held on Apapa Road in Ebute Meta, Lagos.
He said that the group, on its part, was working toward building a Police Station on Lagos-Asaba Expressway, as part of its contributions to taming insecurity.
The Iselle-Uku people are from Aniocha North Local Government in Delta State.
Nwakpati said the project was to ensure security and safety of indigenous people traveling on the highway.
He said the project would be a security shelter with both a Police Station and space for the local vigilante.
Nwakpati said this was to checkmate crime and criminality along the Lagos-Asaba highway and help patrol teams to overcome challenges during extreme weather conditions or heavy rainfall.
He said the project would help in boosting confidence of people who may be traveling and arriving the state late at night.
Nwakpati said the community had already donated a plot of land for the project which had already been fenced, adding that, the ground breaking would take place on Dec. 26.
The group branch president said the gathering was to celebrate the close of the year 2023.
“This year has been filled with its ups and downs: the elections, the price inflation, the removal of the fuel subsidy and the general economic recession.
“But it is a testament to the spirit of unity that we all have, that we have gathered in spite of all of those challenges and have done remarkable things in this union this year,” he said.
He thanked members for their support and contributions that had kept the IDU growing, adding that, “behind every successful union is a strong community”.
The Vice President of the branch, Pastor Sunny Udemba, shedding more light on the security project, said the IDU began a N50m fund raising earlier but would complete it with end of year party.
He said the IDU Lagos Branch constructed the existing City Gate leading to Issele-Uku over a decade ago as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
Udemba advised other ethic groups to identify needs and always give back to their communities to support overall development of Nigeria.
Mr George Mordi, a member of the end year organising committee, said the annual end year event was help members unwind and plan for the year ahead.
He urged other ethnic nationals to always adopt measures “to see how to bring more development to their communities”.
