Insecurity: Police Has Failed Woefully In Anambra --- Osita Obi

 

RAYMOND OZOJI reports

The Coordinator Recover Nigeria Project comrade Osita Obi has stated categorically that the Anambra State Police Command under the current CP Nnaghe Obono Itam has failed woefully in the safety and security of lives and properties in the state. 

Obi who decried what he saw as gross ineptitude and incompetence of the command in handling security matters while speaking exclusively with HEADLINE NEWS at the weekend, called for the immediate redeployment of the current CP, saying that Anambra is no longer safe under his watch. 

Obi who wondered what magic the immediate past CP Aderemi Adeoye performed to have the state under watertight security during his time, said the incessant strike and run by unknown gunmen were as a result of the poor intelligence gathering of the police to forestall such occurrences. 

He said the hoodlums who massacred innocent citizens at Nibo recently passed about 5 police checkpoints before getting to the point where they unleashed terror and mayhem on innocent law-abiding citizens, adding that police should be held responsible for all the security lapses in the state. 

He also said that Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo shouldn't be blamed for any reason instead the police should be blamed for the security breaches across Anambra State. 

Obi however stressed the need for a total and complete overhaul of the officers and men of the Anambra State Police Command through massive transfers and redeployments as he alledged that some of the officers influenced their postings to Anamb State only to come and make money for themselves while igniting a state of anarchy and lawlessness. 

Obi maintained that police have abdicated their primary responsibilities and now meddle into land matters while cultists and other daredevils prey on unsuspecting innocent people. 

Although he was cognisant of the fact that Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo is the chief security officer of the state but also pointed out that the governor can only be the Chief Security Officer of the state,if he has the control of the state security apparatus 

He said it was not true that Governor Soludo doesn't provide logistics to the Police, Army and other security agencies but the problem, according to him, is that the Anambra State Police Command is so corrupt such that they can not achieve anything. 

He was equally of the opinion that some senior police officers and senior government functionaries in the state  know the criminal elements disrupting public peace yet the governor is being attacked with all manner of derogatory statements. 

Obi who insisted that Anambra State must be secured, maintained that people know the criminals in their respective communities, stressing that there is no way criminals will operate in a particular community without active connivance from elements in such community. 

Obi reiterated the fact that the Police knows what to do if they really want to police Anambra State; that they can not be absolved of all the blames associated with security lapses in the state, emphasizing that Anambra State Police Command should be held responsible for the security lapses in the state. 

Reacting to Osita Obi's claims, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Anambra State Command of the Nigeria Police SP Ikenga Tochukwu Anthony, said the command has not exhausted her strategies in tackling security concerns in the state. 

He said, " The truth is that the Command has not exhausted its strategy in addressing security concerns in the State but we are not where we used to be. There is a lot of improvement 

For the Command it is a call to redouble our efforts and the people are not overwhelmed but remain committed and dedicated to making sure that lives and properties are protected.

The Command has intensified operational patrols, improved security dominance and surveillance targeted to enhance safety and nip to the bud any related security issues of untoward situations in the State." 

 

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