Barely three months into his administration in 2014, Governor Willie Obiano convoked the first Anambra State Security Summit, where security experts were invited and solutions on how best to arrest the then spiking kidnapping cases and other forms of criminality were neatly knitted.
Far reaching ideas that would rout the then intractable security challenges in the state were addressed, hence, the launch of security drone system, aerial surveillance, the inauguration of Operation Safe Conduct, Safer Highways, Operation Kpochapu and other tactical security formations.
On August 22, 2015, Governor Obiano convened the first ever South East and Delta States Security Summit with the aim of forging a common front in the fight against insecurity in the region. The summit, which was not properly received by other South East governors then, could have earlier given birth today’s “EBUBEAGU’, with successes that would have nipped the insecurity in the region in the bud.
Obiano, a proactive administrator, was farsighted in hosting that security summit. He clearly knew that the woes of today was incubating and would manifest, if not contained in the nursery.
Addressing the summit in 2015, Governor Obiano, while informing the participants of the tremendous successes recorded in cleaning the Anambra streets of kidnappers, child traffickers, hardened criminals, drug lords and others, pointed out that the freedom the state enjoyed would not be complete until our neighbours began to experience a new atmosphere of liberty.
“Recent experience has shown that a security threat in one location is a security threat to the surrounding regions. So, our freedom over crime will remain incomplete, so long as the armed robbers and kidnappers we drive away from Anambra State can find safety anywhere in this region,” Governor Obiano declared. He was of the view that with a centralized coordination of security intelligence and crime fighting, the South East as a bloc, would reap huge regional economic benefits and lasting peace.
Recently, an entire state Police Command and custodial center were attacked in Imo state. Imagine the release of people who were jailed for manslaughter, robbery, kidnapping and other heinous crimes. Truly, the South East has never been more threatened than now.
Following the watertight security architecture of Anambra State and retinue of endorsements from Security Chiefs, including an Inspector-General of Police, announcing Anambra as the safest state in Nigeria, it is safe to infer that recent attacks on a few security posts in the state is an overflow from neighboring states.
It is crystal clear that some of today’s criminal activities informed the critical questions from Governor Obiano in 2015: “How long shall the South East, Delta and other contiguous states bear the brunt of brazen criminality and meaningless brigandage? How long shall we continue to fall to the barrel of a gun pointed at us by our own brothers, friends and kinsmen who are caught up in violent crimes?”
He went ahead to counsel thus, “Our recent experience has shown that any meaningful effort to address security threats will miss the target if it does not involve an entire region or an economic bloc”. His conclusion then that “We must therefore work together to overcome the challenge of insecurity in our region” spoke to the unsettling security challenges that we are burdened with today.
Had the regional security solution propounded by Governor Willie Obiano many years ago been adopted, South East would have been insulated from the barrage of bandits, hoodlums, kidnappers and unknown gunmen attacks.
No doubt, Governor Obiano, as a seasoned investment banker, sees ahead of the moment. He saw how ominous ‘tomorrow’ was and started crusading to stem the looming tide. Thus, the battle that would have been won with limited casualties long before now is costing everyone an arm and a leg.
WRITTEN BY CHIDIEBELE OBIKA
Comments are closed for this post.