By Ikeugonna Eleke
Stakeholders of Ihiala Community in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, last Sunday, thanked Soludo for his efforts to make their community safe by using operatives of Agunechemba Security Agency to fight gunmen operating in the area.
The stakeholders also regretted that over N100 million donated by indigenes of the community in the Diaspora to tackle insecurity had remained unaccounted for by the President General of Ihiala Progressive Union, Barr. Okey Ohagba.
The stakeholders who were led to Awka for a press conference by the traditional ruler of Ihiala, Igwe Sir Thomas Obidiegwu, Oluoha the 17th, thanked the Governor for his efforts in the area of security.
Ihiala, a border town, with boundary with Imo State, has for years been noted as a hotbed of insecurity, with camps harbouring gunmen domiciled in the community. But the stakeholders said peace had recently returned to the community.
The stakeholders said all efforts to rid the area of gunmen had not yielded fruit, until the launch of Operation Udo Ga Achi by Governor Soludo, and the unveiling of a new security outfit, Agunechemba.
Hon Jude Chimezie Ngobili, member representing Ihiala 1 State Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly, who addressed journalists, said: ‘Insecurity has been very prevalent in my community. We once agreed to hold a meeting to tackle it, but the President General of Ihiala Progressive Union, Barr. Okey Ohagba, rejected it, insisting that only he could call a meeting of that nature.
‘We insisted, met and agreed that a committee be set up to enforce security in Ihiala as people were being killed on a daily basis. We agreed that village heads should ensure that they erected security gates and curtail influx of gunmen in the town, but the PG said it won’t be enforced. We’re happy the Governor has come to our aide at last, and has done so much on security.’
Another stakeholder and Chairman of Anambra Local Government Service Commission, Barr. Vincent Ezeaka, said they came to thank the Governor for liberating them and to say no to the way the President General was handling Ihiala Security.
Some of the stakeholders said for the first time since 2022, they had been able to travel to their community safely, without fear of being harassed by non-state actors who, they said, posed as separatists, but always kidnapping and killing people.
They lamented that over N100 million donated for security in the community was mismanaged by the President General, without any account.
When reached out to, the President General, Barr Okey Ohagba, dismissed those who came on the Awka visit as a small segment of the community who had been aligning with separatist elements to cause insecurity in the community.
He said: ‘I want you to quote me, those people who spoke in Awka are the ones causing insecurity in Ihiala, including the government officials among them. When I have time, I will call you and furnish you with documents to buttress my claims.’
