By Samson Ezea
Why is it that despite the redoubled and impregnable efforts of Enugu State Government and security agents, which include redeployment of additional security personnel such as that of the Direct Rapid Response Squad and others to secure the notorious Ugwogo-Nike-Opi Road, security hitches have continued to occur on the road? Does it mean, as the Igbo would ask, that the barber doesn’t know how to barb, or the blade is not sharp?
Latest of such intermittent security breaches along the road is the recent attack on Chief Ikeje Asogwa’s convoy, which only God and his security personnel know how he alongside his friends survived the criminal onslaught.
Of note and worrisome about the ugly incident according to eyewitnesses’ accounts is that the attack was launched on him almost within the Opi community by men who appeared in police uniforms, who mounted what looked like a routine roadblock almost in front of a petrol station along the road, immediately one descends from Opi Junction, heading to Enugu.
This is incredible and suspicious, considering that there is no way such a gang of criminals can freely operate in that axis without the cooperation and collaboration of some criminal elements among the locals and by extension security agents. It is not possible. It is an axiomatic fact that crimes, especially kidnapping, which has become recurring along Ugwuogo-Opi-Nsukka road is usually aided by accomplices and collaborators, who are making living out of it.
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There is no doubt from the outset of his administration, Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah of Enugu State made security of lives and properties a top priority, knowing full well that it is the major primary responsibility of government. That was why Governor Mbah didn’t hesitate to take on the non-state actors and enforcers of the Monday IPOB sit at home and banned the order immediately.
As the residents and people of the state savour and relish the gains of the recovery and reclaiming of their very important Mondays and the defeats of the promoters and enforcers of the illegal order, it is not surprising that some of the remnant recidivists, criminal herders and their collaborators, who have been dislodged from their strongholds and hideouts by Governor Mbah’s government in collaboration with security agents have relocated and regrouped in some targeted soft spots and fringes in some parts of the state, thereby heightening the security situation in the state.
Having been dismantled, rendered ineffective and stopped from operating within the metropolis and its environs, it is not unexpected of these criminals and daredevil kidnappers to risk the last struggle of a dying horse that will not keep them afloat at last as the security agents and state government have continued to intensify efforts and measures to clampdown and eliminate them from the state.
It can be seen that stopping them from striking or operating in the Enugu metropolis since Governor Mbah assumed office is giving them and their promoters and sponsors nightmares. Hence, they are trying to fight back. The concerns being raised by some residents and indigenes on the heightened activities of kidnappers in some parts of the Ugwuogo-Opi-Nsukka road is in order and expected. But that does not mean that the security agents and Governor Mbah’s government are not working hard to tackle the menace and eradicate it completely. This is so because it is antithetical, a great impediment, and at variance with Mbah governance’s visions.
Evidence of Governor Mbah’s Government and security agent’s efforts in that direction abound, hence it will amount to narcissism, cynicism, and hypocrisy for anyone to be completely critical and dismissive of the glaring efforts of Mbah’s government and security agents in tackling insecurity in the state since assuming office.
Nevertheless, the situation along Nike-Ugwuogo-Opi road calls for introspection, retrospection, and change of strategy. While it is a fact that security issues and strategies are not for public discussions or debates to curb sabotage, there is a need for the top security hierarchies to profile their personnel on duty in that axis. A situation where there is increased presence of security personnel along the road and kidnappers are still striking or operating calls for more questions and thorough investigations.
Why I will not agree hook, line, and sinker with the social media rumours making rounds that security personnel and locals living around the axis are confidants, collaborators, and accomplices of the kidnappers operating on that road, it would be suicidal, retrogressive, and counterproductive gloating and glossing over such weighty allegation and rumours.
This is because where the child is crying and pointing at if his father is not there, the mother will be there. Before now, some surviving victims of kidnapping along the road have made similar allegation while sharing their experiences with the kidnappers.
Intense surveillance, proper profiling, and thorough investigation of the activities of security personnel on duty and locals along the road will help the security agencies and Governor Mbah’s government to unravel the mystery surrounding the incessant kidnapping for ransom along the road, despite government’s concerted and unrelenting efforts alongside security agents in the state.
It is becoming obvious that what is happening along the road is not ordinary and more than what the eyes can meet. Sabotage, conspiracy and complicity may not be out of it, hence the onus lies on security agents to deal with it decisively, especially as Governor Mbah’s administration has provided them with the necessary and adequate logistics and other incentives to function optimally.
Continuous security hitches and breaches along Ugwuogo-Opi-Nsukka road or any part of the state in the face of Governor Mbah administration’s massive and unprecedented investments and support to security agents in the state is an indictment on the security agencies.
It is not expected of Governor Mbah or any of the state government functionaries to embark or engage in security work to secure the state. What is expected of them is to provide support and motivation to security agents, which Governor Mbah’s administration has provided like never before.
Apart from the construction and equipping of the capital- intensive and novel Security Command and Control centre in government house, setting up of a high profile security trust fund committee, installation of artificial intelligence surveillance cameras across the metropolis and its environs, Governor Mbah is set to hand over 131 additional and security gadgets-equipped brand new vehicles to security agents in the state ahead of the Christmas celebration. The ongoing dualisation of Ugwogo-Nike-Opi Road by Governor Mbah’s administration, when completed will also eradicate completely crimes in that axis.
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Even in the face of this, Gov. Mbah and the security agencies deserve the support and cooperation of Ndi Enugu to secure the state.
Finally, it is not hyperbolical to say that despite the recent pockets of security breaches along Ugwuogo-Opi-Nsukka road, which the security agents and Mbah’s government are already tackling, Enugu remains one of the safest and most peaceful state in the state. This is in consideration of the security situation in the country, particularly in Southeast region, where if the level of insecurity and killings that happened and are happening in the neighbouring states happens in Enugu, people and residents won’t even know what to say or do.
EZEA is an ex-staff of The Guardian and SSA on media to former Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State
