” It is pretentious for anyone to pose as though there has ever been a time in Anambra State when security was never a thing of popular concern.” —Ebuka Onyekwelu
At least since this week, the argument on the level of security or lack of it in Anambra State has ignited once again. Every governor of the state since Governor Mbadinuju, have been confronted with this same issue. During Governor Mbadinuju, it was so bad that after many attempts by security operatives under different code name like “operation sweep”, among many others, the governor handed over the security architecture of the state to non-state actors by the name of Bakassi boys. When Governor Chris Ngige came on board, his short-lived stint in Anambra State Government House witnessed the most embarrassing episodes in the annals of insecurity in the state when he was kidnapped and held hostage. Around that same time, some state government properties were set ablaze by arsonists. In those days between Mbadinuju and Ngige’s time as governors, daylight bank robbery was a regular occurrence in Nnewi and Onitsha, the two commercial nerve centres of the state.
By 2006 when Peter Obi took over, the state was well enmeshed in various levels of insecurity. Till today, the floating dead bodies on Ezu River during Obi’s tenure have not been explained. At that time, the menace of MASSOB in Onitsha was at its peak with the group running a parallel government in that city. Efforts by Obi to clean up the Onitsha and restore sanity worked in part, but the city remained heavily populated by known and unknown criminals who ply their trade by dispossessing residents of their properties. Kidnapping was one of the major pastime of criminals at the time across Anambra and the governor responded by getting the State Assembly pass a law criminalizing kidnappers’ hideout and making same deserving of demolition. Yet, it did not solve the problem.
In 2014, by the time Willie Obiano came in, the state has moved away from daylight bank robberies into other forms of insecurity. There were still kidnapping, but somehow, the governor and his team were able to put insecurity in check across the state. Yet, the government did not put an end to insecurity as there were still cases of kidnapping, among many other criminal activities. In fact, the monster that is now still being tackled across the Southeast zone took root in Anambra at the twilight of Obiano’s administration and that is what constitutes the bulk of security challenge in Anambra and other parts of the Southeast today.
Many of those complaining now could not find their voices to speak against the criminality then
Therefore, it is pretentious for anyone to pose as though there has ever been a time in Anambra State when security was never a thing of popular concern. Why this is the case is not exactly clear, but Anambra is a hugely commercial state. With beehives of business transactions, naturally, there is large volume of money moving around for various business transactions. This might be a point of attraction for criminals. Secondly, particularly with the latest security concerns, this criminality perpetuated under the auspices of “unknown gunmen” was clearly and fundamentally energized by the people themselves. At the early stages of attacks on security formations and other targets mostly public properties, the people who have now become victims thought the attackers were really freedom fighters who have come to fight for them. It was such a tragic sight when people were captured in video clips hailing them. The simple and general interpretation of this is that the recurrent criminality in Anambra state perhaps, thrives on popular support or at least cover-up. Today, most of those who are complaining and asking Governor Soludo to take out all criminal elements in Anambra, at one point or another, supported the elements in the euphoria that they were operating in their interest. Many of those complaining now could not find their voices to speak against the criminality then. It does appear therefore, that our people might be lovers of anarchy, but now the reality has set in, they are running back to the government they despised for protection. So at the end, the undeniable fact remains that the problem of insecurity in Anambra State is within. Government must indeed do its job, but the people must support the government fully.
As of today, the truth is that security in Anambra State has significantly improved and Governor Soludo has worked hard for it, although more sustained efforts are needed. In Nnewi and environs, Sen. Ifeanyi Ubah has been working hard also. In other parts of Anambra State, there is tremendous improvement on security to the degree that security in Anambra State is now close to the pre unknown gunmen stage. A lot of community based efforts have been invented by various communities to curb criminality.
However, Anambra has a long history of bold criminal elements and a long history of security challenge as a result of the activities of these elements. Only the people of Anambra State can put a final end to the criminality they allowed to flourish in their communities. It is this silence of the people towards crooks living among them that from time to time raises its head such that innocent law abiding residents live at the mercy of the bandits.
The government alone cannot be able to wipe them off, because, aside technology with which Sen. Ubah is using to fight them in Nnewi environs, security officials must work with information which the people must provide.
He is a Technical Assistant to Governor Willie Obiano’s Special Adviser on Legislative Matters, whoonce was a Special Adviser to a former Deputy Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly. Ebuka is a second class upper division graduate of Political Science from University of Calabar, Calabar Nigeria and holds a Masters Degree in Political Science with specialization in Government and Development Studies, from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Nigeria
