Security challenge: Applauding the Abia example

The current security challenges facing the country today, especially in the North remind Nigerians, especially Ndigbo of the predicaments and frustrations faced by their people at the peak of kidnapping in the South East zone. Worst hit by the menace then was Abia State, which commercial city, Aba, was overtaken by the dare devil kidnappers. Residents of the city fled en masse and the once bubbling and ever busy city became deserted.

While other states in the zone battled with the menace, that of Abia State was the most celebrated and publicised for reasons best known to the sponsors of the crime in the state. Some cynics of the government even called for Governor Theodore Orji’s resignation for his failure to secure the state.

But if not for their amnesia, how would they have forgotten so soon that before the upsurge of kidnapping in the state, that there was a failed attempt to assassinate Orji, when his convoy was attacked by hoodlums within the boundary between Abia and Imo State, while he was returning from Owerri airport to Umuahia in late 2007. If not for God and the courage of his security teams to return fire in its deadly efficiency, maybe he might be dead by now and those behind it will have their way by swearing in his then deputy, Chris Akomas, who was later impeached.

While the state was about to recover from the shock of the attack on the governor, bandits took over Umuahia and Aba forcing banks and other private and public commercial operators to close shops.

Government efforts to curb the problem then initially failed to yield positive results as the robbers often overpowered and outsmarted the security agents with their heavily sophisticated weapons and tactics. The situation took a dangerous turn when kidnapping crept into the state and took on the residents and visitors in the state. Many saw the development as politically-motivated, considering the changes in the tide of political equation in the state that did not go down well with some people that lost in the new power equation.  Just like the Boko Haram sect, the kidnappers at a time became more tactful, desperate and sophisticated in operations beating security agents at will.

Some cynics called for the governor’s resignation for failure to provide security for the people, just like some people who are not comfortable with President Goodluck Jonathan government are calling for his resignation in the face of daunting security challenges that is novel, suicidal and can overcome any government.

Realising the enormity of the security challenges and its crippling effects on the economy of the state with Aba becoming a haven for the kidnappers, Orji took courageous and bold step to tackle it. A bill was passed by the State House of Assembly making kidnapping, a capital offence. Whosoever is caught in the act shall forfeit all he has acquired to the state government, as it is believed that such proceeds were from kidnapping.  After signing the bill into law, Orji dangled a stick and carrot before the kidnappers by granting them amnesty which few of them accepted, but other die-hards led by the notorious Osisikankwu with their sponsors rebuffed it.

At a time the policemen in the state were accused of conniving with the kidnappers to destabilize the state, especially when it became obvious that despite the state government’s support to them which included the provision of more than 250 patrol vehicles, increased allowances and other incentives, kidnappers were having a field day. But in the face of all these, Orji remained undaunted in funding the security agents to combat the crime. Within the interventions of the military in the battle against the menace in the state with camps at Ngwa High School Aba, Community High School in Ukwa-West and Goodluck Jonathan Barracks at Ohafia, the state government released billions of naira in providing necessary logistics for them to perform.

So, nothing was more deserving than the award of National Ambassador for Peace that was conferred on Orji in Umuahia recently by the former minister of FCT and chairman, National Council for Peace and Unity, Engr. Muhammed Abba Gana. With the prevailing security challenges in the country today, the Federal Government should borrow a leaf from the Abia government by funding the security agents adequately. A security think-tank with Orji in-charge might provide the magic wand to tackle the problem as was done in Abia sometimes ago.