Tag: SECURITY

By Juliana Nwachukwu :

Irked by the spate of insecurity in Anambra State, the National President, People’s Club of Nigeria, High Chief Joe Ilonzo, has urged Gov. Chukwuma Soludo to beef up security, especially at this festive period.

He made the urge during the induction of 30 new members into the Onitsha branch of People’s Club of Nigeria located at limca road, Odume layout Obosi, Idemili North Local Government Area.

Frowning at the current insecurity situation in the state, High Chief Ilonzo, admitted that the governor is uplifting the face of the state infrastructurally but urged him to increase the security situation now that the people will come back for Christmas/New year celebration.

On the intra club crisis rocking the club, he said that it was all over, explaining that he is in control since after the court cleared the air on who is the authentic National President of the club.

Contributing, the legal Adviser to the club, Barr. Jideofor Okongwu, added that little problem sometimes experienced is that the opposition that was defeated in court will in the absence of the President, Ilonzo, storm the club and harass the staff.

“When they noticed that the President is around they run away. These people kicked out by court are still giving little problem in the absence of President Ilonzo,” he disclosed.

He commended Gov. Soludo for his infrastructural development of the state but pleaded with him to beef up security now that Christmas festivity is around the corner.

Contributing, the club branch Chairman, Chief Emmanuel Ezeh, expressed satisfaction with the induction of 30 new members, saying that the club has written its name in the sand of time.

“We have criteria for accepting people into the club. We screen and know if one is free from all manners of crime and must be one of sterling quality. It is not a place for irresponsible people but people with honour,” he stated.

He wished his members a Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year even as he called on Gov. Soludo to ensure the safety of lives and property this festive period.

Earlier, an executive member, Chief Ifeanyichukwu H. Onyemobi, reiterated that peace must reign in the club, saying that Ilonzo remained the National President of the club.

He expressed satisfaction that the club has been improving both in numerical strength and infrastructure and urged the members not to relent in their support for Ilonzo who he described as man of the people.

Two of the inducted members, Chief John Kennedy Uzuegbunam and Lady Iyom Ifeyinwa Okafor expressed their happiness for the long awaited induction which was successful.

They testified that the club is the best place to be, saying that they are transparent in all their dealings not a secret club as people thought.

*Juliana is of the Ministry of Information, Anambra State

By Rose Oranye  :

A delegation of Anambra State Government, on Wednesday, November 27, 2024, visited the people of Abatete, in Idemili North Local Government Area, to commiserate with them over the November 18 attack on some vigilantes of the community by gunmen suspected to be enforcing the Monday sit-at-home. 

The delegation was made up of the Anambra State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor, and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, AVM Ben Chiobi (Rtd). 

Addressing the leadership of the town, the Commissioner for Information, Dr Law Mefor, who is not only an indigene of the town but a member of the Igwe-in-Council, consoled the people over the ugly incident and prayed for the quick recovery of the PG of the town, Chief Ezebinobi Chimame Ezigbo, who sustained a bullet injury during the attack. 

Dr Mefor also expressed his commitment as a government agent and a major stakeholder in Abatete to work with the people till they get to the end of the matter and security is fully restored.

In his remarks, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, AVM Chiobi, described the incident as one of the hazards of the job, adding that the government is working to ensure it never happens again. 

“We will do something. Although it will cause some disruptions and make some people uncomfortable, no one will be killed.”

He urged the leadership of Abatete to work towards sanitising the community, especially the Eke Agu axis, to make it safe, or the government will decide and take action for everyone’s interest, even as he suggested ways to improve security in the area such as CCTV cameras. 

In their separate remarks, Chief Clement Analikwu, Obi Nsukwu Abatete and Obi of Ogbu Abatete, Chief Edwin Enyokwa, who represented the traditional ruler of the town, Igwe Emeka Efobi, thanked the government for showing concern to the Abatete people and assured that they would cooperate with the government in any way possible to curb insecurity in the town. They called for government assistance in burying the dead and defraying the expense incurred in the treatment of the town’s president general who was still hospitalized.

Also speaking, the 3rd Vice President of the Abatete Union, Sir Anthony Okwuchukwu Adibe, disclosed that the Igwe-in-Council is speeding up actions to hold the Abatete Security Summit, which they started planning before the incident, and called on the government to upgrade security patrol to Abatete, as the town cannot do much given the many roads that pass through the town, both federal and state. 

In a vote of thanks, Chief Peter Ézè assured that the town would abide by all the government’s directives to curb insecurity in Abatete.