Legal practitioners in Anambra state under the umbrella of Committee of Chairmen and Secretaries of the Nigerian Bar Association NBA on Monday called on the State governor, Willie Obiano, to immediately address the worsening security situation in the state.
The lawyers made the call, when they staged a peaceful protest to the government House, Awka against the kidnapping and killing of one of their members Barrister Frank Onwuachi by unknown gunmen and the worsening security situation across the state.
Speaking during the protest on behalf of others, the chairman of Onitsha NBA, Mr. Onyechi Ononye, said lawyers in the state can no longer go to court due to high rate of security challenges in the state.
He called on the governor to immediately deploy security operatives to courts and other parts of the state to secure lives and property of their members.
According to him, the state government must rejig the security architecture in the state to protect the lives of innocent citizen on the streets.
“We are here to express our displeasure over the worsening security situation in the state. Our member was kidnapped and killed the other day by unknown gunmen. Some security formations were attacked and operatives were killed while their weapons were carted away. We cannot travel to court because of challenging security situation, it is getting worse every day.
Responding on behalf of the state governor, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu said that it is sad that the rate of killings in the state has become alarming but was quick to add that government has put in place measures to stem insecurity in the state.
According to him, Anambra state has the record of being the safest state in the country and called on all to take up the challenges. He said that what had happened in the last one week was a wakeup call to all in the state. “Security is every one’s business, you in the NBA, the various communities in the state, let us join hands together and fight it.
