Security

Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has announced the suspension of Ebubeagu South-East Security Outfit and setting up of two new vigilante outfits to replace it. The two new outfits are Ebonyi State Neighbourhood Watch and Ebonyi State Vigilante Corps.

This followed the passage of a new law setting up the two outfits by the State House of Assembly and signing of same into law by the Governor. The governor said the decision is in obedience to the High Court ruling which ordered the disbandment of Ebubeagu in the State. Umahi stated this during an expanded State Security Council meeting in Abakaliki, capital of the state.

“I have directed that Ebubeagu will not function in the State until the stay of Execution is granted and appeal is entered, this is in obedience to the rule of law and respect for our Judiciary which I have great respect for, whether the judgment is good for our people or bad, it is the judgment of the Court,” Umahi informed the council. He however noted that another Court of coordinate jurisdiction had earlier passed a judgment restraining anybody from disbanding Ebubeagu.

“What it means is that I have two judgments on the same subject and I could choose the one to obey if I were not a lover of the Judiciary, however, I have decided to obey the later judgment that says that Ebubeagu should not function, so for now, Ebubeagu should not function while we process the stay of Execution and appeal entered at Enugu,” he said. Mr Umahi noted that Neighbourhood Watch will rely on the law passed since 2015 while the Vigilante Corps will rely on the new law passed by the House recently.

“Another vigilante that has come into effect is the Ebonyi State Vigilante Corps and this will also function in the State and I am hereby inaugurating these new outfits officially today and by the laws of the State they are empowered to function,” he said. The governor noted that over 30 personnel of Ebubeagu have been killed in the past one year while 23 of the personnel are facing prosecution for various infringements of the law.

He warned that disbandment of the vigilante services could have dire consequences for the state as it has the lowest number of police personnel among the states of the federation.

“For those who would like to care, they must know that Ebubeagu was not formed from outside our society, there are also infringements from other citizens of Nigeria, other security Agencies and such are being addressed.” “Ebubeagu matter is not an exception but what is very important to note is that the Governor of Ebonyi State or any of my officials will never direct any of the personnel of Ebubeagu or any of the new outfits to go and disrupt the lawful activities of any of the political parties or the right of any individual,” the governor said.

The governor condemned those who protested against the disbandment of the security outfit in front of the court in Abakaliki. “I condemn the protest vehemently and I have directed the Commissioner of Police to ensure that anyone who tries that again will be arrested, even though people have the right to peaceful protest but because of the respect I have for the Judiciary, they must not go to do such protest at the gate of the Judiciary and in fact they should not attempt to do that”

“The judgment of the Court remains the judgment of the Court and this is the Court of first instance, we still have the appeal Court and we still have the Supreme Court to be used to address any envisaged injustice,” he added.

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate for Orlu, Orsu and Oru East Federal Constituency Seat in the forthcoming election, Vincent Ikechukwu (Orlando), has vowed to remedy insecurity, tackle unemployment, as well as install developmental projects at the constituency.

Orlando made the vow when he aptly presented his manifestoes for his constituency when he spoke to Imo people during a Town Hall Meeting for Imo State Political Candidates championed by Owerri Archdiocesan JDPC, held at the Church Hall, on Sunday.

According to Orlando, “I will remedy insecurity which devastates the people of Orlu, Orsu and Oru East. I have the solution to this teething problem bedeviling our land. I will also tackle unemployment and poor infrastructure through good and quality representation at the Red Chamber of the National Assembly. I’m the new face of my constituency. I was able to uplift lives of some of my people. I’m a technocrat and I was instrumental to founding Ohaneze Ndi Igbo in Mexico. I cannot afford to disappoint my people”.

Hence he called on the good people of Orlu, Orsu and Oru East Federal Constituency to give him their mandate in the forthcoming election to enable him achieve his election manifestos for them with the view to bettering their lots and suffering.

Our people are becoming so obsessed with their rascality, criminality and worse still, inordinate ambitions that they imagine God, as utterly weak, far-off and completely inactive and powerless to intervene in these rising and trending excesses of human actions and reactions.

These venomous class persons that is relatively dominating this generation is our people is most incredibly toxic, especially as it is encapsulating our divide: more seriously is that their actions is trading against the tenets and spirits of our traditional and Christian ethics and morality; these persons have sold their conscience to the beast that they have become far more vicious than the most dangerous wild animals known to man. They have lost love for humanity, value for human life and feelings for blood.

Even in the animal world, Dogs don’t eat dogs, Cats don’t eat cats; but very outrageously, human beings this generation eat their likes and fellows. Yes! It doesn’t sound real but it is true.

The currently rising atmosphere of violence, killings and kidnappings have eroded peace and brotherly love. These dastardly developments have overrun homes, villages and communities.

And very unfortunately, these agonizing deteriorations are threatening to overwhelm the entire Southeastern region and in fact, it portends grave ill and consequences for our society, just to say the least.

For God’s sake, these killings are inhumane and utterly barbaric. How can people live in fear and panic everyday of their life? What can they do, where can they run to, for help? Properties are not spared. Personal houses and public offices are vandalised and razed regularly. An absolutely gory and helpless scenario.

These spate of senseless killings, random arson and heartless abductions absolutely confirms anarchy and further endorses our status as a failed State. More frustratingly, the trend has recently intensified to a worrisome degree. But, how did we get to this point?

On the other hand, misguided separatists, freelance terrorists and sponsored criminal and killers have used their activities to destroy the region’s hitherto booming social and economic life. Frankly, the already frightened populace lives in fear and uncertainty everyday of their life.

More bewildering, is the mode of operation of these mischief-makers code-named ‘Unknown Gunmen’. In many instances, they leave the public more confused after their operations, that it becomes difficult for the ordinary to link or decipher who are actually behind the mysterious masquerade or worst still, their real intentions or where they are coming from and what they apparently want.

Pathetically, in most cases, these heartless fellows do not leave any of their targets without painful inflictions; sometimes, they disposes victims of their breadwinners and means of livelihood; in some cases, the wipe out an entire family raze communities and towns. Infact, many sleep in bushes and far away communities for safety yet they cannot sleep with theirs closed and breaths normal. And, these gory situations are videoed, pictured and made to trend online. What an absurdity?

Paradoxically, many residents have become familiar with gunshot sounds that they have resigned their lives to fate. Oh, my God!
Anyway, to the naked eyes of these miscreants; God appears powerless or indifferent to our injurious world, if He (God) even exists at all!

But, I tell you by authority that this generation may be alive to witness the rot and awful display God’s anger and His super natural powers which was used to create man, the earth, the heaven and all that is therein. The power will also be used to visit those abusing His sacred rules and creations in this planet.

Yet, our thoughts are implicitly synonymous to that of Jesus’ own disciples, who asked Jesus, in their helplessness, as they watched the furious waves breaking over their fragile fishing boat that was billed to lead them across the Sea; precisely after the great miracle of healing a paralytic.

Behold that in Mark 4:35-41, “On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him.
And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still! And, the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”’
But, I ask for the umpteenth time; Can’t our leaders, act like their supposed Master, Jesus Christ, who spoke peace to misbehaving ‘sea storm’ and it became still and peaceful and speak peace and sanity to these ravaging and trending killing scavengers.

Could it be, that they [Our leaders] have no powers or connect with God or they have utterly lost touch with His super natural capacities that they can’t do like Him, even with the elementary emulation spirit of “Menu ihe mere, anyi ga eme ihe mere taa!”
But, even at that; can’t they invoke the authorities and potentials of their offices to quell this rising oddities and speak life, consciousness and sanity into these ballistic elements that they will become still and peaceful or further deploy the required tools that can overrun or diminish the courage and powers of these ill-effected elements in the society.

But, note that a stitch in time saves nine; “our people are finishing…” nowhere to run to, nowhere to hide. Only God can save His people, in a time like this.
I therefore, pray thee for sanity on this escalating rot and carnage, just like He [Christ] did to the errant sea storm that plagued His crossover.

Yet, law and order can be enthroned, when a government that is courageous and armed with the right political will to chastise ills and preserve the sanctity of the peoples’ lives.
Sincerely, a people can have fights and rows, yet there are moments when love and peace are more important than anything else and that time is now!

Bright C. J. Okereke, is a Public Affairs Analyst

The Imo State Labour Party aspirant, Major General Lincoln Ogunewe, Retired has called on all and sundry to put all hands on deck to fight insecurity in the country.

Speaking to newsmen in Mbaise, Ogunewe said that the level of insecurity in the country should not be left for the security operatives alone, adding that it takes everybody’s efforts to fight insecurity to standstill.

Ogunewe maintained that Nigerians are facing a lot of challenges, ranging from inflation, insecurity among others and noted that today is not forever. He believed that there’s hope for a better Nigeria. ‘Things might be difficult today but let’s have hope that it will be better tomorrow”.

He regretted that it is not the character of Igbo to engage in mass killings, stating that it is a new phenomenon that is regrettable and should be condemned.

The retired Major General who’s hopeful of emerging the candidate of Labour Party given his humility, humane nature and grassroots popularity posited that Imolites should to be vigilant within their environment and report suspicious movement to the security operatives.

Talking about his interest in the guber race, Ogunewe said he came into the governorship race to tackle infrastructure and empowerment issues that debilitate the state, its citizens because government is a catalyst for positive social and economic change.

He hinted that he is going to champion pure development, create viable employment, encourage agriculture, provide standardized quality and affordable education, enhance commerce and industry in order to better the lives of Imolites.

Anambra State Joint Enforcement Team has swung into action to stop incessant revenue losses to the state Government by apprehending illegal tax collectors popularly known as Agbero in some strategic places.
The enforcement team began operation into the three Senatorial districts of the state, namely Anambra South, Anambra North and Anambra Central to affirm the directives against touting, illegal revenue collection and related offences, as well as enforcement of compliance to revenue payments in the state which is paramount, News Echo reports.
According to the Juventus Chukwuneike Okoli, said ANJET on Friday, 30th at Bridge Head, Upper Iweka, Onitsha-Owerri road, Ochanja Relief Market and parts of Okpoko apprended illegal collectors (Ndi Agbero) that have continued to extort money illegally from the Keke riders, commercial motorists, allegedly stealing revenues accruable to the state from eligible taxpayers.
“This situation was the same at Igbariam Junction, Awkuzu Junction and Aroma Junction Awka where a notorious tout (Agbero) with some of his colleagues were also nabbed”.
“Again, the story was not different in Anambra South, precisely at Nnewi where some touts were again picked”.
Recall that the Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo led administration held several meetings recently with tricyclists, commercial bus drivers, intercity bus operators to chart the way forward for affordable and functional public transportation system in the State devoid of extortions.
The Commissioner for Information, Mr. Paul Nwosu in a press release on Thursday, 29th of September, 2022 announced Government’s decision on suspension of tricycle and shuttle bus unions and reduction on fees payable by commercial transport operators across the state.
The pronouncement accommodated the request by the transport workers for options of weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual tax payments. In addition, the drivers on paying their first taxes, are to be enrolled without additional payment into the Anambra state Insurance scheme, ASHIA, by the state Government so as to ensure that the drivers are given the opportunity of receiving proper medical treatment for being active taxpayers in the State.
He added that the general public and taxpayers are once more invited to report all sabotage on taxation and tax related matters, like touting and illegal revenue collection to ANJET for prompt action.

…commiserate with families of the deceased on Sunday attack

National Link Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalist, Anambra Council has expressed dissatisfaction over the insecurity situation in that state after Sunday’s attempted assassination on the Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial Zone, Sen Ifeanyi Uba.

Chairman of the Chapel, Mr Tempest Udeze disclosed this in a resolution reached during its monthly meeting held at Nnewi and made available to News Echo.

According to the Mr Udeze, “the sunday’s attack on Senator Uba is unacceptable and the responsibility of every government is the protection of lives and property of the common masses. Anything short of that is unacceptable to the society”.

“In as much as we believe that the governor, Prof Charles Soludo is doing much in area of security, due to the level of collapse in that sector from the last administration, we are urging him to beef up surveillance because for the hoodlums to lay ambush and spend time there before the arrival of the distinguished Senator shows that is a gap in the security apparatus of this very state”.

“The intelligence gathering of the security agencies in this very state shows that it is collapsing, so we are urging them to do more and stop the loquacious attitude”.

“We are self independent people, that can survive tough situations but when the security is down it will definitely affect the economy”.

The Chairman while commending Prof Soludo noted that “In as much as we talk about the security, we must commend in other areas he is improving. We know not much was left in the coffers when he assumed office”.

“So that is the position of this very chapel and we encourage the governor to do more. We equally thank God for the safety of Senator Uba in as much we regret the loss of life of his personal and security aids, It is so painful and we now extend our condolences to the families of the deceased by asking God to give them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss”, he added.

Anambra State Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, has flags off the ember month’s traffic awareness campaign with a routine road walk.

Officers of the command trouped out in their numbers to join in the exercise aimed at sensitizing road users on the importance of being conscious of rules of the road.

News Echo gathered that members of the Special Marshal Corps of FRSC in the State, Anambra State Sports Development Commission, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Immigration Service, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, and corps members, among others, also took part in the exercise tagged “Ember Months Corps Marshal’s Walking and Jogging Exercise” with the theme, “Walking for a Safe, Healthy and Liveable Anambra State”.

Speaking shortly after the walk that took place over the weekend, the Anambra FRSC Sector Commander, Mr Adeoye Irerewuyi, said the exercise was to prepare personnel of the command physically, mentally and psychologically for the period of ember months, adding that there is always increase in vehicular movement in the last quarter of the year, which he said calls for greater work.

Mr Irerewuyi also noted that the exercise is part of FRSC’s measures aimed at raising awareness on best road usage during the busy period, explaining that the Corps’ cardinal aim for the remaining months of the year is to have least road crashes with zero casualties.

…As range classification shooting commences

The Headquarters 14 Brigade Nigerian Army, Ebem Ohafia, Abia State has urged the residents of the community not to panic as it concludes plans to hold range classification shooting for troops.

The weeklong exercise which commences Monday 29 August to Friday 2 September 2022 will involve the firing of live ammunition at the range site, Acting Assistant Director Army Public Relations 14 Brigade, Lieutenant Omale Innocent Prince said in a release.

“In view of the above, you are please requested to disseminate this information to the general public and enjoin them not to panic, especially the communities around the Barracks. In this regard, the populace and farmers are to steer clear of the general area during the exercise,” it added.

The State Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Anambra State Command, Mr. Isidore Chukwudi Chikere has reiterated the commitment of the Corps in tackling security challenges facing the nation as well as forestall any planned act of vandalism of major government critical national assets and infrastructure.

Public Relations Officer of the Command DSC Okadigbo Edwin in a press statement made avaliable to News Echo said “Mr. Chikere made this known today Tuesday 23rd August, 2022 , while receiving the leadership of Association of Heads of Federal Establishments AHFE, Anambra State Chapter led by its Chairman and State Coordinator, Raw Materials Research and Development Council, Mr. Dara Chijioke Okechukwu at the State Command Headquarters Awka”.

He lauded the establishment of the association aimed at engendering synergy, create avenue for all MDAs to present their histories including impact they have created in their operations and share challenges among others.

The State NSCDC boss said the Corps saddled to play crucial roles in grassroots security system would not abandon its responsibility of ensuring protection of lives and property of citizens. He urged the association to compliment the efforts of the Corps in the area of intelligence gathering.

Earlier, Mr. Dara Chijioke Okechukwu, the Chairman, Association of Heads of Federal Establishment, Anambra Chapter said, aside from catering for the welfare and progress of the members, the association plays informal mornitoring role on what members are doing in their respective Establishments.

While appreciating the State Commandant for the warm reception accorded them, Mr. Dara described members of the association as those with a mindset to ensuring they contribute towards the improvement of what each other does in enhancing government work force productivity.

Mr. Dara on behalf of the association welcomed the State Commandant to Anambra State and congratulated him on his well-deserved deployment as the 14th substantive State Commandant of NSCDC Anambra State Command.

“On behalf of the members of this Association, I wish to say welcome to Anambra State. We pray God to endow you with all the strength and wisdom you need to satisfactorily discharge the onerous duties of your new office,” he remarked.

The Joint Union Congress of the Police Service Commission has gone on strike. The congress issued a notice of indefinite strike to the management of the commission over a breach of agreement.

The union noted that the strike will commence with effect from Monday, August 29, 2022. Chairman of the Joint Service Union, PSC chapter, Mr Adoyi Adoyi, disclosed this in an interview on Thursday. The notice is coming amidst disagreement between workers of the commission, the Chairman of the commission, Mr Musiliu Smith, and the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, on which body should be responsible for recruitment, promotion, and appointment of constables and officers.

He noted that the IGP and other police chiefs in connivance with the chairman of the PSC, have overruled the constitutional duty of the PSC.
Adoyi added that the IGP has allegedly taken it upon himself to carry out the functions of the PSC in flagrant disregard of the Nigeria constitution, a verdict of the Appeal Court, and the authorities of the PSC.

Adoyi said, “We’re embarking on an indefinite strike from Monday, August 29, to show how discontent with the way the PSC is being run by the chairman of the commission, and the flagrant disregard for the constitution, the court of law, and the PSC by the IGO, Usman Baba.

“The duties of the PSC are spelled out in the constitution, but the IGP has disregarded all of that, and has taken over the duties of the commission. He appoints and promotes at will as opposed to what is stated in the constitution.
“According to the constitution, the appointment, promotion, and recruitment of police officers and constables are the prerogative of the PSC, not the IGP.”