Senator Umeh, Ozigbo, Orogbu , other stakeholders chart the way forward
From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
Determined to reverse the ugly trend of mindless killings in Awka the Anambra State capital under cult related circumstances, the lawmaker representing Awka 1 Constituency in the State House of Assembly under Labour Party, Hon. Nigeria Henry Mbachu, yesterday convoked a special security summit towards addressing the ugly development.
The summit held at Prof. Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre Awka, brought together various stakeholders including political office holders, politicians, the Ozo title holders, village heads, women leaders, clergies, and lawmaker colleagues of the convener.
The convener, Hon. Mbachu in a remark explained that the summit was aimed at brainstorming on insecurity troubling the capital city with a view to proffering lasting solutions to it.
Mbachu, who wondered how things degenerated to the present situation where some people hunt for the blood of their fellow humans, said the anomaly has forced many families into becoming childless, fatherless, motherless, widows and widowers because the perpetrators kill without having mercy on anyone.
“This gathering is not political, but a plan to rejig the security in my constituency Awka South 1 comprising Awka and Okpuno. I have met with several stakeholders and mobilized them to join us in speaking in one voice so that we can make this place secured and better to live for all.
“Whatever decision we reach will be taken to the executive for action,” he noted.
He decried the falling moral values amongst the youth, and the failure of parents, and, elders to inculcate moral values in their children and lamented that despite the fact that gates have been constructed at the entry and exit points of virtually every street, numbering currently about 54 gates, and, with about 18 village vigilante group, the situation still requires more deliberate actions.
He assured that he would continue to engage the state government, led by Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, the security agencies and other relevant stakeholders in Awka until a positive resort is achieved.
Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Chief Victor Umeh, who spoke viam zoom from Abuja urged residents of Awka South local government area to mobilize and bring to an end the worrisome cult activities and allied crimes in the area, saying the Igbo nation is not known for wasting human blood.
He said Awka is blessed like every other town made capital city of a state and urged the people to secure their land so that the residents and strangers can live happily and their business thrive.
“. No one likes to invest in insecure environment, Do Awka well so that everyone will come to invest” he urged
Also speaking, the member representing Awka North and Awka South Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Professor Lilian Orogbu, said she was pained as insecurity in the state capital had forced many scholars and experts to shun invitations to programmes, reminding them that it could turn Awka into a glorified village if left unresolved.
The Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, Mr Somtochukwu Udeze, who spoke through the Majority Leader, Mr Ikenna Ofodoeme, expressed optimism that cult related crisis would become a thing of past once the executive arm of government fully implements the anti- cultism law already passed by the state legislature.
According to Udeze, the bill stipulates relevant punishment and sanctions to cultists, including their friends, sponsors, landlords, producers and marketers of riffles, owners of vehicles or premises used for cult related activities and whoever showed up as witness or signatory to meet their bail conditions.
A chieftain of the Labour Party, Mr Valentine Ozigbo identified insecurity as topmost challenge confronting Awka and Anambra State and urged Governor Chukwuma Soludo to rise up against it through job creation, provision of enabling environment for businesses to thrive, and putting a stop to multiple taxations and other anti -people policies.
“There is no sense of urgency from the government that is living in denial. Government should take full responsibility of security of lives and property as number one top priority because many Anambra people are scared of coming home again. There are many ways to solve the insecurity problems considering economic and political angle to it.
“We need to deal with insecurity from the roots. The government needs to create jobs and favourable environment for businesses and people to live peacefully. There is also need for the government to stop using taxes and policies to kill businesses. There is need to embark on job creations and empowerment. “
He commended the convener of the summit, Hon. Mbachu for taking the bold step and called on other lawmakers to organize similar security summits in their constituencies to chart a way forward because security of lives and property is everyone’s concern.
Ozigbo said that if Soludo fails to rise up to the challenge of the moment, he (Ozigbo) will come and fix it.
Presidential general of Awka Women Town Union, Mrs Ogechukwu Ekwuozor, who is also a lawyer, urged various security agencies in the state to prioritise the security of the capital city.
She bemoaned the falling of moral values and urged mothers to take up the challenge of monitoring the behaviour of their children instead of shielding them when they indulge in criminality.
As part of the solutions, the secretary of the Ozo title holders, Ozo Ndu Nwakalor, stated that they have decreed henceforth that any of their members who facilitates bail for any criminal suspects from security custody would be relieved of his Ozo title.