… LP Senatorial Hopeful Says Ihiala Remains Worst Hit
By Mmaduabuchi Onwumelu
Following the prevailing insecurity in Ihiala and by extension, Anambra South Senatorial District, the Labour Party senatorial aspirant for the Anambra South by-election, Barr. Donald Chidi Amamgbo, says he has the magic wand to end insecurity in the Zone if elected.
The Califonia based lawyer with over thirty years experience, who stated this during a press conference in Awka, said the essence of the media engagement was to highlight the harrowing experiences of his people in Anambra South Senatorial District, especially in Ihiala and environs, describing the area as worst hit by the raging insecurity in Anambra State.
He said the harsh realities of insecurity in Anambra South had crippled businesses and social life, saying they had consistently witnessed unprovoked attacks on innocent citizens, kidnappings and demands for outrageous ransoms, leading to the destruction of businesses and serious economic downturn in the entire area.
‘For years, Anambra South, particularly Ihiala, Nnewi South, Orumba South, and other parts of our district, have been under siege by non-state actors, kidnappers, and criminal elements who have turned our once-thriving communities into theatres of war and bloodshed. Our people, who are predominantly traders, industrialists, farmers, and professionals, now live in perpetual anxiety, unable to go about their lawful businesses,’ he said.
Speaking on his vision, which, he said, was geared towards restoring security and stability, Barr. Amamgbo said it was about time they rose and took decisive action against what he described as a marauding monster.
‘It’s either we rise together or fall together. It’s either we provide security for everybody, or we cannot have our own mini-army while everybody else dies. The security situation currently requires a law that will make it impossible for security agents to be assigned to wealthy people.
‘All prominent personalities from Governors to Senators, House of Reps members, and other notable public office holders, need to be stripped of police protection. Knowing this, stakeholders will quickly show commitment to internal security by overhauling the system if they no longer have access to police escorts,’ he stated.
The legal luminary said that security votes allocated to state governors should not be seen as pocket money but as monies meant to be used for the protection of life and property, even as he said the disbursement of the security votes must be reviewed, especially in areas where insecurity had become pronounced.
‘A committee made up of well-meaning citizens who are professionals in their various fields of endeavour should be constituted to handle the funds, ensure compliance, and enforce accountability. In that case, the Governor will only be expected to submit his security priorities for funding and follow-up.
‘I will call for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and ask the international community to intervene and establish a truth and reconciliation committee that will address the agitations of the marginalized. But to the criminals who are riding on the back of Nnamdi Kanu’s legitimate and passionate desire to uplift Ndigbo, I have one message for you: We will not succumb to your terror
‘As a seasoned international lawyer, I understand that insecurity is not just a local problem; it is a national and international issue. Additionally, it is a socio-economic problem, as well as a governance and legal challenge that requires strategic local, state, national, and international intervention. If elected as the senator representing Anambra South, I will leverage my contacts as a U.S. lawyer and my position in the Nigerian Senate to drive legislative and policy solutions that will reclaim our communities from the grip of insecurity.
‘My Approach Will Include the Following: economic revitalization and job creation to address root causes. Unemployment remains a key driver of crime. I will champion initiatives that empower youths with skills and capital to divert them from criminal tendencies.
‘I will advocate for proper training and empowerment of our teeming youths in such a way that firms that train and employ them, stand to get tax rebates for each of them. This means initiating economic incentives to train and hire, sponsoring security bills and advocating for special federal Interventions. I will push for laws that strengthen local policing structures, enabling community-based security frameworks.
‘I will work to ensure that Anambra South gets a fair share of Federal Security Deployment, including specialized task forces designated to address insurgency, banditry, and kidnapping.
‘All security leaders will undergo rigorous background security checks, including psychological tests, and must be cleared by the DSS while declaring their assets before assuming office. We will establish an oversight committee comprising the EFCC, DSS, and NIA, where useful information about internal security will be shared regularly.
‘I will facilitate stronger synergy between law enforcement agencies and traditional institutions to ensure intelligence gathering and swift response to threats. I will lobby for increased funding for security infrastructure, including surveillance technology and body cameras to track and neutralize criminal elements,’ he said.
The Senator hopeful said as a lawyer, he would ensure that those arrested for crimes were prosecuted swiftly and fairly, thus, ending what he called the culture of impunity. This was even as he promised to push for laws that would empower security agencies to act decisively while respecting human rights.
‘Insecurity is not just an Anambra South problem; it is a national and international emergency. I call on the federal and state governments to urgently deploy more resources to tackle this menace before it spirals further out of control. Our people have suffered enough, and the time to act is now.
Amamgbo recalled that Boko Haram started off as a religious group, Maitatsine, before turning to violence and annexing territories. He said what Simon Ekpa was doing in Finland might seem like a small problem, but had enormous adverse effects in the Southeast of Nigeria.
‘The individual in Louisiana who drove a truck into a gathering of people celebrating New Year was indoctrinated in Egypt. The strategic implication of this problem for America is clear. As a senator, I can leverage the American parliament to attract funds set aside for global security challenges.
‘If we cannot keep people safe, they will migrate because global migration is a reality. If we don’t nip terrorism in the bud, chances are that it will be exported by homegrown fanatics who now see the authorities as either indifferent to their local cause or hostile to their terrorist agenda.
‘To my people of Anambra South, I assure you that better days are ahead. My aspiration is to call for a new era of security, prosperity, and governance that puts the interests of our people first. With your support, we will take back our communities and build a safer, stronger Anambra South,’ he said.
