A rights activist based in Anambra State, Comrade Osita Obi, says the present leadership of the State Police Command appears incompetent and incapable of handling the growing insecurity across the state.
He is asking the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, to immediately redeploy the State Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam, from the state, alleging that he has proven to lack ideas to tackle the state’s security challenges.
Obi’s comments come against the background of the spate of killings across parts of the state in recent times.
Last month, over 16 persons were shot and killed at Nibo in Awka South LGA, and a few days after, about nine persons were killed in Awka, the state capital city.
On Monday, about five persons were shot dead by gunmen enforcing sit-at-home in Ukpo in Dunukofia LGA and Abatete in Idemili North Council Area.
Also, there have been reported cases of kidnappings almost daily across parts of the state.
According to Comrade Obi, there is no way to distance the police from what is going on, and if they are not capable of handling the issues, then this points to the man at the helm’s lack of ideas.
Stressing that modern-day security has gone beyond carrying arms and wearing charms and amulets, Obi noted that it now entails gathering information, intelligence, and surveillance.
He rubbished the claims by some quarters within the police that their failure to perform was because the state governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, had not provided the logistics for them, describing it as unfounded.
“Many will argue that the governor has not provided logistics. But I want to ask, which logistics did retired CP Aderemi Adeoye use and was able to manage security in the state to an appreciable level?
“The truth of the matter is that the Anambra State Police Command under CP Itam is incompetent and clueless and I am asking the IGP to redeploy him from Anambra State immediately.
“He shouldn’t wait until all of us die,” he said.
Obi, while acknowledging the need for the state government to provide the needed logistics for the police to function effectively, however, said there is a need to interrogate how the logistics provided are utilized.
“I am not saying that the governor should not provide logistics but we must even begin to interrogate how the logistics provided are utilized.
“You give police a vehicle, less than six months, it is gone.
“Look at the incident where many were killed at Nibo, the gunmen passed through many police formations undetected, carrying guns.
“What then is the police doing?
“You get to a bank and you see policemen carrying guns standing in front of the bank and making themselves available for targeting. The same thing happens at checkpoints where they expose themselves while extorting motorists.
“When the hoodlums come, they get them easily because they are not focused on the job they were asked to do.
“On the Ukpo situation, nobody could say the route that the criminals took or where they came from, because there is no surveillance.
“All the killings that have been happening, no single suspect has been arrested and the police even lie with their press releases and they think that the people believe them.
“They are just making up stories to cover up for their incompetencies.
“The police should get involved in information gathering, intelligence and surveillance, and deemphasize extortion and other old forms of policing,” he advised.
Regarding the increasing number of checkpoints across the state, Obi said the present situation warrants checkpoints, but they should be conducted in a manner that will protect the operatives.
According to him, all members of the police team should not expose themselves on the road collecting money without having some in covert positions for protection.
Obi, who demanded a total overhaul of the entire police command, regretted that some police operatives in Anambra have overstayed their welcome, adding that the state should not be a dumping ground where people will be sent to make money.
