JUDE EMECHETA

Anambra, no doubt, is the safest state in Nigeria. Since Governor Willie Obiano came on board, armed robbery and kidnapping have been decimated, save a few incidences of pick pocketing and phone snatching in some areas, which can never be eradicated, even in advanced climes.

Deluge of good news emanate from the state nowadays. With the existence of water tight security, Ndi Anambra now enjoy their business and sleep with two eyes closed. That was not the case before Akpokuedike came on board. Before the advent of his administration, the state was the den of most dreaded armed robbers and kidnappers in the country.

Consequently, Anambra experienced serious divestments while many prominent Ndi Anambra hardly returned home for festivals, funeral of their relatives, traditional marriages and other religious or socio-cultural activities. Armed robbers and kidnappers were so daring to the extent that they brazenly attacked, captured and, more often than not, murdered their victims. Indeed, the criminals rampaged Anambra with impunity.

Despite the efforts of previous administrations in the state to stem the ugly trend, it refused to go away until Governor Obiano came on board. In fact, no single case of bank robbery has occurred since he took the reins of power more than six years ago. There has also not been any incidence of successful kidnapping in Anambra state since Ebubedike became the governor of Anambra state.

All known cases were nipped in the bud by the eagle- eyed security agencies, while all perpetrators were arrested and are being prosecuted. For instance, two catholic priests, abducted around Umuleri in December 2018, were rescued less than twenty-four hours after their kidnap. The hot chase given to the criminals compelled them to release the priests unharmed and ran away. Few days later, all the kidnappers were rounded up.

Similarly, within same period, the leader of a kidnap gang, was apprehended inside the airplane he had already boarded for an escape flight to South Africa. That impressive interception was as a result of the network of Obiano’s security architecture facilitated by Close Camera TV circuit (CCTV) and drone cameras in addition to other discreet technologies unknown to the uninitiated.

The present superlative security architecture of Anambra state was midwifed, established and nurtured immediately Governor Obiano came on board during his first tenure in 2014. Notwithstanding his administration’s socio-economic development blue print known as the four pillars development, anchored on Mechanized Agriculture, Oil and Gas, Trade and Commerce in addition to Industrialization plus their twelve enablers, the state government, in two periods that year, organized Security Summits in Awka, which involved Israeli security experts and relevant security agencies in Nigeria.

The Summits came up with a formula to bring violent crimes and criminality to the barest minimum in Anambra and her neighbouring states. With the provision of the necessary logistical support in a sustainable manner by Governor Obiano, the Anambra State security infrastructure has become the most efficacious in the country.

This development is inspired by the fact that Ebubedike is an ardent stickler for the principle that protection of lives and property is the most important reason why governments exist. Thus, Obiano equipped and made security personnel in the state happier. Akpokuedike also prompted the operatives to work in synergy as a team. Above all, the governor established Anambra Vigilante Group in all the communities in the state. Many security experts believe that if some governments in Nigeria had adopted the Obiano Approach on security matters, the ongoing insecurity in Nigeria, occasioned by militancy, Boko Haram insurgency and Herdsmen-Farmers clashes in some parts of the country would have either been totally eradicated or drastically reduced.

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