The news emanating from Anambra State lately is not palatable. In Oko, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, there were reported fatalities when kidnappers struck near the Federal Polytechnic and abducted a man. Not long after, hoodlums staged an attack at the Oko/Ekwulobia Bridge in which three lives, including that of one of the attackers, were lost. A man was abducted and killed in Nimo in Njikoka LGA, just as a daylight kidnap incident occurred in the Y-Junction area of Awka around same time. These were some of the major crime incidents recorded under a three-week span.
These crimes took place despite the police mounting roadblocks at strategic positions, just as the Anambra State Homeland Security outfit known as Agunechemba, has its operatives all over the place. One is therefore, constrained to ask if violent crimes have resurfaced in the state; and if so, is it because of the failure of security or a relapse in vigilance?
It seems the latter may be the case. The most dangerous time is when it is thought that danger has been averted. It is the moment when guards are loosened, allowing the enemy to strike.
Following the euphoria that greeted the formation of the Agunechemba Security Outfit by the Anambra State Government, violent crimes like armed robberies and kidnappings had suddenly almost vanished and hitherto unsafe areas had been retaken from hoodlums. Places like Ihiala, Orsumoghu, Ukpor, Azia and the like, which were no-go areas in the thick of the assault by criminals in the state, had opened up for business, just as the sit at home compliance eased off considerably. The fear of the newly formed Agunechemba Security Outfit seemed to be the beginning of wisdom for criminals.
But gradually, the gains made began to be lost and the criminals began to regain a foothold on the public space. Suddenly, people have begun to be afraid again. Kidnappings are being staged in broad daylight again, even in the capital city of Awka. Yet, police patrol teams are seen almost everywhere in the capital city, just as the Agunechemba Outfit. What then is the cause of the resurgence in violent crimes?
A closer look will reveal that while the police are doing their best, busting criminal camps and making arrests, the Agunechemba Outfit appears to have found a favourite pastime of extorting money from commercial drivers on the roads. This is at the expense of doing the job they were set up for.
There are also stories about how they act like the very criminals they were set up to pursue by abducting people and withdrawing money from their mobile phones. A case in point is the recent one where a man accused by a supermarket, of not paying for all he bought, was arrested by Agunechemba from the said supermarket on invitation, and taken to the bush where they withdrew millions of money from his bank account and forced him under duress to talk before the camera that he was neither harassed nor extorted.
Although luck ran out of the Agunechemba Operatives that did this, and who were made to refund the money, it is possible that they could also be colluding with criminals in perpetrating some of the crimes.
Reports have it that some of them were living on the fringes of crime before being enlisted into the Agunechemba outfit, and coupled with their reported poor remuneration by the Anambra State Government, they have now resorted to extorting money from people. Little wonder that their job has suffered and the hoodlums are staging a return.
We therefore urge the state government to quickly review the operations of this outfit and do the needful where necessary and if entails overhauling the Outfit, let it be done.
Like an illness, when a relapse occurs, it is usually deadlier than the first time. Security being serious business, we expect the Anambra State Government to reclaim the public space from these hoodlums and ensure those things that are impeding the success of the security outfit are removed, going forward. Anambra must not go back to Egypt.
