Residents of Awka have cried out to the state government and relevant security agencies to fish out criminals parading themselves as operatives of the Anambra State Vigilante Services, robbing and kidnapping citizens at various spots.
There have been reports of criminals bearing pump action rifles, driving in keke and motorcycles, and carrying out daylight robbery and other crimes in the state capital.
A resident of Awka, Paschal Candle, who spoke with our correspondent, regretted that the trend has become quite alarming, even as he called on the relevant authorities to tackle the rising insecurity in the town.
“Every day, around government house and Immigration Junction Area of Awka, these criminals move about dressed in vigilante outfits and carrying pump action guns.
“On Sunday, they robbed a shop at Immigration junction and collected all the phones and valuables of persons therein. This has become a regular occurrence and the people have been at the receiving end of the entire thing.
“Government should investigate this and bring the perpetrators to book,” he said.
Also bemoaning the ugly trend, another resident, Ifeanyi Ugwu revealed how the gunmen also robbed POS operators at the Eke-Awka axis and collected the operators’ money and phones.
“During another robbery operation, at Regina junction, the Gunmen which was suspected to be members of one of the deadly cult groups in Awka, collected phones and money of the Keke drivers and passengers.
“It is most worrisome for me because this is Awka the seat of power in Anambra State, and these crimes are going on unabated.
“Government and the relevant security agencies must rise to their responsibility of protecting innocent citizens from these men of the underworld,” he emphasized.
Meanwhile, the Anambra State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, on Monday said it has arrested seven men for parading themselves as private security guards and impersonating officers of the Anambra Vigilante Group (AVG).
The state spokesperson of the Command, Edwin Okadigbo disclosed this in a chat with our correspondent in Awka.
According to the Anambra NSCDC Public Relations Officer, “the suspects, who are all males, and their security companies include Frank Edward Ushahember (aged 30) of the Philip Smith Security Service; Abubakar Michael (aged 35) and Uchenna Peter Ngwu (aged 39) of the Model Security Agency.
“Others include Final Mark Nanmal (aged 32) of the Globe All Security Network; Aleke Daniel Okwuchukwu (aged 22) of the RSS Security; Okoye Felix Emeka (aged 40) of the Community Based Vigilante Group; and Chima Kelvin Azubuike (aged 24), of the Feda Security.
“The first category of the arrested guards were those who had obtained PGC Licence earlier but failed to renew their license till date; while other categories of four persons arrested were unregistered and unlicensed to operate as Private guard companies.”
Okadigbo said while parading the suspects, the newly deployed Commandant of the NSCDC in Anambra State, Olatunde Maku, commended his men for the successful operation led by the Deputy Commandant and Head of the Private Guards Company (PGC) Department, Francis Nnadi.
“The Command had put the impersonators and perpetrators of these nefarious acts on the trail with a view to apprehending them until luck eventually ran out of them.
“Commandant Maku cautioned companies and individuals in the state to desist from establishing a private guard company without following due process.
“Citing Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Act No. 2 of 2003 and as amended by Act 6 of 2007, he explained that the registration, licensing, and training of private guard companies falls under the purview of the NSCDC.
“He also advises members of the public to know that unrenewed licensed and unregistered Private Guard Companies are restricted from carrying out operations because it is unlawful, illegal, and an economic sabotage.
“Private Guard Companies form a tier of the security architecture of the nation. Moreso, considering the security situation of the country at the moment, we cannot afford to allow those who are not known to us to continue with their illicit business,” he said.
Reacting to the issue of criminals hiding under the guise of the AVG to rob residents, Okadigbo said the Command is already on their trail.
