USAfrica magazine (Houston) and USAfricaonline.com, the first Africa-owned, US-based newspaper published on the Internet.
The Governor of Anambra State of Nigeria, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, continues to attract questions and suggestions regarding the challenges of insecurity and violence in the State. Chris Aniedobe, an attorney and public policy analyst/contributor to USAfricaLive.com compares his handling of some of the security issues to those of his predecessors:
1. Gov. Soludo needs to understand that security is job number one. He is not showing adequate leadership on security and it is getting embarrassing.
2. Former Gov. Willie Obiano did a more credible job on security. Soludo should have referred to Obiano’s effective measures.
3. Obiano’s operation ‘Kpochapu’ was ruthless and clearly communicated that hoodlums were not welcomed in Anambra State. Soludo is not speaking with adequate clarity to hoodlums.
4. Obiano’s method of demolishing any house used for kidnapping was a strong deterrent. Soludo should bring it back.
5. Sadly and unfortunately, covert, rapid extrajudicial elimination of confirmed hoodlums in conjunction with the Nigerian Police and local vigilantes has been used in the past, especially on the kingpins. Sssh. Kpochapu fa!
6.Obi was also very effective on security. He was ruthless and sent an unambiguous message to hoodlums at Onitsha using the Nigerian Police.
7. Obviano’s predecessor, Gov. Peter Obi invested and funded local vigilantes in every town. He understood that empowering and equipping them was a key plank of effective security. Soludo should fund, equip, and upgrade local vigilantes in all 177 major towns of Anambra State.
8. Late Gov. Chinwoke Mbadinuju also did better than Soludo on security. His Bakassi boy’s program was messy but effective. The lesson here is that nothing about taking back Anambra State will be pretty. This is war. Soludo should understand that.
9. Obi officially made Igwes the head of security in their towns and held them accountable for securing their towns. Soludo needs to invest time and resources on getting towns and their Igwes to do the needful. It won’t be cheap but it is worth every kobo even if that means diverting funds from other programs.
10. Soludo needs to be focused. His feud with Rev. Father Obimma is exactly the kind of distraction he doesn’t need. People are frustrated. Anambra has become the kidnap headquarters of Nigeria. He needs to own up to the lapses and hunker down. Obimma does not think for ndi Anambra, so ignore and focus.
11. Unknown gunmen are getting unfairly blamed for every lapse in security. There is nothing unknown about unknown gunmen and it is not a Facebook discussion. Soludo should covertly engage unknown gunmen and their Master(s). Not easy but that’s what leadership does. Let’s not use unknown gunmen as an excuse for the insecurity in Anambra State.
12. Every town in Anambra State should have a Nigerian Police Station as part of effective vigilante-police collaboration. Ineffectual as it is, Nigerian Police can deter some of the low-grade crimes like drug peddling and robberies.
13. Private duty whereby Police officers are deployed to protect wealthy citizens rather than the public has become alarmingly abused. Private duty policing is a shame and an indictment of the Commissioner of Police.
14. As alleged, most security equipment secured by Obiano, including phone tracking pieces of equipment are either inoperable or have been stolen. The lack of program and personnel continuity in security is an egregious error. Basic equipment need to be serviceable and upgraded and key personnel retained between administration changes. This is a core leadership issue.
15. Nigerian Police is notoriously underfunded but when things get embarrassing like this, the IG and the Army should help to rescue Anambra State. This is a key leadership issue. The plurality of hoodlums should be eliminated down to what the Governor can handle. A security state of emergency is ripe at this time.
16. Divestment from Anambra State as a result of insecurity has untoward economic consequences. Anambra is hemorrhaging economically and wealthy citizens are being discouraged from returning and investing. Soludo should think of security as an economic program if that would help him to rise to the challenges.
17. Nothing I have said here is easy. Leading ndi Igbo is an onerous task so let no one play politics with these recommendations. It requires energy, resources, time, and citizens who understand that they have a Civic duty to help their Governor succeed. This is where I differ with Fr Obimma. We need positive, private-citizen collaboration. The Governor cannot do it all by himself.
18. Private citizens should invest in their town vigilantes both in augmenting salaries, and equipment. Security is not cheap. Every citizen needs to have a sense that they can do something to help. Hungry vigilantes cannot be a match for the ferocity of these hoodlums.
19. Ndi Biafran agitators have constituted a quasi-governmental authority. Soludo should understand that reality and be more diplomatic in dealing with them. Monday sit at home is a terrible act of self-mutilation but there are citizens who feel that it is a necessary sacrifice for their freedom. Talking down to this class of citizens is not helpful. Leadership, please.
20. Crime pays as far as criminals go. There is a fair amount of economic criminals in Anambra State compounding ideological criminality and terrorism. The hardships in Nigeria is a breeding pond for crimes. Soludo appears to be fixated at this view of crimes but that is just one way to look at it. We need a Civic society and if the Judiciary cannot do their job, then sadly, criminals should be eliminated one way or another.
