Insecurity: Anambra no longer at ease, says Ozigbo

From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha

A chieftain of the Labour Party and entrepreneur, Chief Valentine Ozigbo, has lampooned the Governor Chukwuma Soludo administration in Anambra State, over what he described as spiralling cases of kidnapping and general insecurity in the state.

Ozigbo, in a statement posted in his verified X Handle, yesterday, lamented that the security architecture in Anambra seems to have collapsed under Soludo, while the government pretends that all is well.

“I’m sure when Chinua Achebe wrote his book, ‘No longer at ease’, he would not have known such would come to play out in his own state years later.

“It is no longer at ease in Anambra. From Awka, through Ekwulobia, to Ihiala, it is the same story of abductions of the state’s citizens.

“To, therefore, say the security architecture in Anambra has collapsed is to state the very obvious. Yesterday’s 10 separate abductions across the state speaks volumes of the sorry state of security in Anambra.

“They include two each in Ifite Awka and Agulu, Adazi, Oraukwu Road; one in Nimo, two along Ichida-Neni-Igboukwu axis; one along Afor Nkpor Road and an attempted kidnap case around E dey Work, Nnewi Road; plus others that may be heard today”.

“Yet, while the state burns, the executive, led by Prof Chukwuma Soludo, is busy harassing poor market women and drivers in the name of tax and revenue collection. The incident that happened in Awgbu that claimed many lives is very disheartening.

“I shared this video last week, as a clarion call on the governor, to wake up, and all of us, as citizens, to contribute our quota”. 

Ozigbo said the people of Anambra are tired of excuses and name calling.

“I recall how I was maligned by the Governor’s Press Secretary for urging his principal to address the insecurity in the state.

“He dismissed insecurity as non-existent, insisting that the prevalent situation was normal and obtained everywhere. His argument was that the situation could only be resolved when the federating units were allowed to have their own police”.

Ozigbo said the current situation is dire and demands urgent and immediate action and called on the governor to act accordingly.

“Let Soludo come off his high horse and apply a solution. I call on Governor Soludo to drop all pretence and do the needful, which is ensuring the security of those under his care. Anambra is broken and needs serious mending,” he stated.