Follow Us on Google
From Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki
After the January 2022 violent protest by the youths of Akaeze, in Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, which led to loss of lives, destruction of a police post, magistrate’s court, houses, filling stations and other valuable properties worth billions of naira, the community was left without adequate security. This was why killings and abductions arising from communal war, as well as herdsmen’s menace and other incidents of insecurity were high.
The youths had protested the torture of a suspect, Nnaogo Anyim, from the community, who died as a result of the torture. It was members of the dreaded but defunct Ebubeagu Security Network (ESN)that tortured the suspect, which led to his death.
Anyim was accused of robbery by the network and was tortured. The video of his torture went viral in the social media with some of the operatives seen hitting him with axe and other dangerous weapons.
His death sparked off protests by some youths and women of the area, who called for the banning of the ESN. The protest turned violent and was hijacked by hoodlums.
Residents of community, including leaders of the network, counted their loses. It was alleged that about seven persons died in the protest.
Among those whose properties were burnt was the then chairman of the local government area, Chief Onyebuchi Ogbadu, who is now representing Ivo state constituency in the House of Assembly. His house, filling station and other property were burnt in the melee.
Ogbadu alleged that the protest was sponsored by drug peddlers in the community, who were chased out of the area by ESN but returned to the community. He had said when the incident happened: “In the first place, my house and property were the fifth in the series of what they burnt. They started with the commander of Ebubeagu’s house, went to the deputy, went to another person. They said they were burning houses because of a person they said that died when he was arrested by Ebubeagu people. He was an armed robber and he died in the hospital.
“The first building they destroyed belongs to one Ebubeagu boy called Olinda; they destroyed his house and burnt everything. They went to Ifeanyi Ejem’s house, destroyed and burnt it. They destroyed his two buildings and burnt everything in them. They went to his father’s house and burnt the cars parked there. They went to Nwafuruzo’s house and damaged everything in his place. They went to another person who is close to me and also burnt his house.”
The community now has a modern police division, which was built by the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF). The smart police station is located on the expressway in the community and has modern facilities for effective and efficient security service delivery.
Chief Okoro Sunday, the traditional prime minister, Umuihie, in the community warned youths of the area to stay out of trouble. He said anyone who fomented trouble in the community would be arrested and detained in the police division.
“I am feeling happy for this modern police division in our place. We have been yearning for this type of thing in our community and it has come.
“This type of police station will tackle insecurity and resolve disputes in our place. Those who can’t agree with elders like us, those who cause problems will agree with us here in this police division.
“We have security issues here and our youths don’t agree with us on what we want to do for peace to reign but it will not longer happen. We had a police post before in this community but it was burnt by the youths.
“The youths burnt the police post, saying that our leaders have abandoned them. The police post was burnt alongside the magistrate’s court.
“The police post and the magistrate’s court were located in Ogidi after our motor park. Those who masterminded the incident were arrested and they stayed more than one year in detention before they were released.
“I am warning our youths to desist from causing trouble because it is no longer business as usual. This new modern police division in our place is for tackling insecurity and other security issues and anyone arrested will be detained here. If you don’t want peace, you will embrace peace by force,” he said.
Another stakeholder, Amuchukwu Emmanuel, also expressed excitement over the smart police division. He described the police division as a strategic facility that will make the presence of the police to be available everywhere in Akaeze as a gateway community. There are many entry points and exits from the community.
He expressed the hope that the policemen that will be posted to the division will mount surveillance around the community to checkmate criminals that have been infiltrating the area.
“This divisional police station is a strategic facility and it will make the presence of the police to be available everywhere in Akaeze because it is a gateway; there are so many entry points and exits from the community.
“So, their being here will help to mount surveillance around Akaeze and also checkpoints that will checkmate those criminals who infiltrate the community. So, it will greatly help in many ways,” he stated.
Amuchukwu, a former coordinator of Akaeze Development Centre, who recalled the violent protest by the youths of the community that led to loss of lives and destruction of property, including a police post, disclosed that the community has taken measures to ensure that such ugly incident does not recur.
“The burning of police post in our community by irate youths some time ago was a very unfortunate incident. It is just what I call ignorance arising from youthful exuberance. The people who perpetrated the act were principally influenced by criminals who had cases pending in the police station.
“So, they felt that the opportunity for the youth who wanted to do a peaceful protest concerning a young man that was tortured and who died as a result of the torture. So, they wanted to do a peaceful protest and the criminals who had pending cases, hijacked it and turned it into a mayhem. It is something we don’t want to remember again and we are making sure such a thing doesn’t repeat itself.
“We have already started doing something about it. We have started conducting what we call sensitization tour around all the villages in Akaeze because some of the youths are not properly informed, some of them are being misguided.
“So, we want to orientate them in the first place and also find a way of engaging them in useful ventures so that the incidents of idleness will be reduced to the barest minimum. The town union president has embarked on a number of projects that can accommodate the youths and get them fully engaged. So, these are the measures we have taken,” he told Daily Sun.
Inaugurating the smart facility, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, represented by the state Commissioner of Police, Adaku Uche-Anya, described it as very important in the security operations of the police. He decried dilapidated state of police divisions and area commands across the country.
Egbetokun said the dilapidated buildings does not only compromise safety and well-being of policemen but also hampers the delivery and effective services of the men and officers of the divisions and commands.
He said: “While celebrating this achievement, I must humbly draw our attention to the fact that this new facility doesn’t have a patrol vehicle. I want to also draw our attention to the divisions and commands buildings within Ebonyi State and other state commands which remain in dire need of renovation due to attack by hoodlums or depreciation due to the old age of the buildings.
“In Ekoli command specifically, from Ikwo division to area command headquarters, Ohaozara or even the present divisional headquarters in Ivo need urgent renovation.
“They have unfortunately deteriorated and require urgent intervention. The state of these dilapidated buildings not only compromises the safety and well-being of our officers but also hampers the delivery and effective services
“In this regards, I respectively appeal to the management of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund to consider our request and assist us to renovate some of the dilapidated structures in line with the vision of the Nigeria Police Force.”
The executive secretary of the NPTF, Mohammed Sa’idu, said the facility was designed to improve on the quality of service delivery of police personnel and build confidence between the police and the host community. He explained that the division was part of effort to modernize the police force that is responsible and technology driven
He assured that the trust fund will build more modern police stations across the nation to bring security closer to the people. He disclosed that the trust fund will train officers that will man the modern police stations for effective services.
Governor Francis Nwifuru urged the people of the area to desist from crisis and ensure protection of the facility. The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Patricia Obila, described the smart police station as very significant in the protection of lives and property in the community.
