New Telegraph

Anambra: A state under siege

Tension everywhere

It is no longer the usual tale of agitation for the Independence of Biafra, neither is it about the campaign for a President of Igbo extraction. This is a tale of horror in Anambra State. In just one week, Anambra has become a sad commentary of tears and blood, and a field of anguish for, not only the sorrowing families of victims but also the entire Anambra State where human life is progressively being devaluated by blood-thirsty hoodlums. Report about the kidnap of the member representing Aguata 2 state constituency was yet to settle when, in about one week, his head was parceled in a carton and dumped at Amichi in Nnewi South local government area. In the same vein, the local government headquarters of Idemili North in Ogidi, as well as their Magistrate Court were burnt by gunmen whose identities are yet to be unravelled. Within the same area, same evening at 33 Estate junction, a gang of gunmen stormed the area and opened fire on a detachment of soldiers stationed at the security post. The exchange lasted for over two hours. Again, in a most horrid manner, a commuter bus from Nnewi was attacked and the occupants kidnapped by gunmen and it is not clear yet, the fate of the poor travelers in the den of the kidnappers.

Killings gone awry

Like a vicious plot being orchestrated by an unseen hand, similar killings took place around Onitsha, Adaziani and Umunze in Onitsha North, Anaocha and Orumba South local government areas of the state. These killings indeed have put security operatives on their toes, flagged Anambra State as a security flashpoint and has become a major challenge to the leadership of Governor Charles Soludo. Though, it is being canvassed in some quarters that some natives may be working in cahoot with the rampaging gunmen thus raising the questions about the effectiveness of the local vigilante groups across communities.

Vigilance group unite

To this end, Vigilance groups in the 176 communities in Anambra State have been approved for disbandment by the state government following allegations of undue compromise of security operations in the area. Also a new community Vigilante outfit is being formed by the government and security operatives in the state in a bid to battle the killers terrorizing Anambra state to the ground. This is coming as the Joint Task Force against insecurity in Anambra and Imo states commences aerial and land assaults on designated locations in the Anambra South Senatorial District and Imo West Senatorial District of Imo state. So far, a total of 57 suspects have been arrested in connection with the killings in Anambra State while over 18 others have been neutralized by security forces in the course of operations by security forces.

Police Commissioner clarifies

According to the Anambra State Police Commissioner, Mr. Echeng Echeng, who spoke to reporters in Awka, “We are putting together a new community vigilante outfit in the state because the group we have now appear to be compromising security operations in the state. “The current one would be disbanded because people do not come up with relevant information about the activities of these criminals and you know that security is a joint thing and it is not for security operatives alone. “It is even misleading to call these people ‘unknown gunmen’. It is wrong because we know them and they are in the communities and they are living with the natives. \“They are not spirits, they are human beings and we have made a lot of arrests and great number of them were taken out in the course of our field operations. “We have been there and they only have shrines where they force the natives to take oath of secrecy and silence and all these things are basically a psychological angles to cow the locals and villagers. “I enjoin you all to watch and see what would happen very soon and you will get results of what would happen in Anambra South Senatorial District and we have also information interface with our colleagues in Imo state because the criminals may want to run to Imo state for safety.”

Lawmaker Okechukwu Okoye murdered

On the fate of the murdered lawmaker, Okechukwu Okoye, the Police Chief, narrated that, “There was no demand for ransom by the abductors. “We only got information that the head of the lawmaker was seen at Amichi in Nnewi South local government area which in recent times has been the epicenter of attacks by ‘unknown gunmen’ on security forces, Vigilante groups and defenseless civilians. The body of Cyril Chiegboka, aide to Okey Okoye, who was also murdered in cold blood by his abductors has been recovered and all leads so far gathered are being explored with a view to bringing perpetrators of this senseless crime to justice,” he said.

Disbandment of Vigilance groups

The disbandment of the community Vigilance groups in the state is yet another obstacle before the state government because security watchers are of the view that should the operatives be left unemployed they may fully align with the gunmen and ultimately sabotage the process. They, however, maintained that while a new outfit is being put in place, the old operators should be allowed to function as the smokescreen while the real operators do the job. However, these rampaging acts of criminality seems to have become a thriving enterprise as alleged criminal suspects have capitalized on the ugly security situations in the state, to smile to the bank with their proceeds of crime. That has also challenged the likelihood of the widespread criminality and acts of terror ending without a decisive action from government. In Anambra State there appear to be three different groups operating in the state and deepening the problems of insecurity in the state.

It is, however, expected that the coordinated joint operations of security forces in Anambra and Imo states may to a large extent be the intervention needed to accelerate the end of the terrorism ravaging the area.

Soludo’s nightmare

For Governor Charles Soludo it is a call to service and this is coming too early in his administration but he, nonetheless, seems optimistic that the attacks and terrorism in Anambra State will soon come to an end. According to the governor, Anambra state is even more emboldened to confront their common enemies and battle the challenges facing the state. He reassured that subsequent raids on the camps of the killer gangs would produce better and heart-warming results. With indications on ground, it appears the murder of Okey Okoye last week was the red line for Soludo, much the same way, the burning of Governor Hope Uzodinma’s country home was all the Imo State Governor needed to take the war to the hoodlums. There is no gainsaying the fact that the days ahead will show what to expect given the counter-measures to stamp out these terror gangs and end the rampant bloodletting in Anambra State.

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