John Adoyi, PBA Journalism MenteeThe Sunday convoy attack on Senator Ifeanyi Ubah is a sad reminder of how lax the security architecture and delivery has gone in Anambra State, Chief Eugene Anulobi, an opinion leader in Ogbunka, Orumba South Local Government Area of the state, said on Monday.
Anulobi, who was reacting to the manner Senator Ubah’s attackers operated without immediate consequences, chronicled series of security breaches and attacks in Anambra State in recent times. Chief Anulobi advised the government of Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo to address the seeming security laxity and invest more money in providing adequate security in rural communities that are fast becoming havens for kidnapping and other vices.
Anulobi, a lawyer, holds one of the most respectable traditional titles in Ogbunka – the Okwuruoha – and by the virtue of the title, prides himself as the mouthpiece of the people in Ogbunka community.
”Perhaps, the Security efforts in Anambra have gone lax once more,” said Barrister Anulobi. Citing series of recent and uninterrupted attacks in the same axis, he said: ”Umunze-Ogbunka-Owerre Ezukala Road had witnessed a number of kidnappings recently, successful kidnappings! And I ask again,what is the arrangement in place? If local vigilantes (VGS) are not paid, or structured into the State command regiment,there will continue to be woes. MONEY must be spent on security! That’s our lot now.”
Anulobi in an exchange with Prime Business Africa informed that only last week, a man was kidnapped from his farm at Umunze in the presence of his wife.
”At Owerre Ezukala, the same week, stone quarry labourers were kidnapped, and released days later. The Umuchukwu Community nearby had before then had it rough at hands of kidnappers.
”This begs the questions: What is the security arrangement in our rural areas? Is it working? Can’t we create a system that ensures someone immediately touches the “panic button” once an incident occurs? Is it not possible,the way we employed teachers recently,to also provide 10 security watchers (some armed) for each Community, to patrol the notorious getaway roads,and all suspected bushes?
”A N50,000 per month stipend could give the Communities,a starting point,all recruits coming from,and residing in such Communities. And of course,all neighbouring towns would have their Security heads connected by phone. Something more practical,more proactive,more reliable.. just must be created by the government,” Anulobi, the community leader said.
Senator Ubah was on his way to Enugwu Ukwu to attend the New Yam Festival organised by a friend of his, popularly known in Anambra State as ‘Igwe Mkpume’, when he was ambushed and attacked by gunmen suspected to be assassins. The Senator however escaped with his bullet-proof car taking in a rain of bullets.
His aides and police men in his convoy were not as lucky as he was; virtually all of them were killed and their guns taken away by the assailants.
PBA confirms that Senator Ifeanyi Ubah’s photographer, Goodness Mathias, and his officer in charge of payments for Eastern operations, Mr Odum Ikechukwu, were among the victims of the Enugwu Ukwu convoy attack.
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According to Anulobi, the security incidents climaxing in the Enugwu Ukwu convoy attack prove that ”the current system is not serving the purpose.”
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