Away from the troubles of Boko Haram, bandits and other terrorist groups in the northern part of Nigeria, ‘unknown gunmen’, now widely referred to as UGM have seized the once peaceful South-east by the jugulars, making the place unsafe for everyone, reports David-Chyddy Eleke
Driving back from a function on Saturday afternoon in Awka, this reporter stopped to obey a traffic light at Kwata junction, which just turned red. A commercial bus headed to Onitsha sped past, without recourse to the traffic light, while another bus following behind the reporter was forced to stop after it was blocked. “Oga, abeg move your motor make we dey go, government no dey for this country again,” the driver of the bus shouted at this journalist.
Also in a shop at the popular UNIZIK temporary junction, this reporter was again making a purchase in a shop by the roadside, when he noticed a young boy, charging at a terrified young girl. Even though it was a busy junction, the boy shouted on top of his voice at the girl saying: “Even if I kill you here, you know that nothing will happen? Police is no longer working in this town, and there is nothing you can do.” It was not clear if the girl was being robbed, but as busy as the junction was, not this reporter or any of the numerous passers-by were able to stop to see what help could be offered to the obviously terrified girl.
This and a few other cases are the current realities in South-east states. Since February when the first attack on policemen commenced, rather than abate, there have been increasing cases of such attacks, in all the South eastern states, and this has spiraled into the South-south, with states like Rivers, Delta, Akwa Ibom and Cross River getting its share of the ugly incident.
What began as attacks on policemen on checkpoints in remote areas of states in the South-east zone has further moved to taking battles right to the stations of policemen, killing them and burning down facilities, and most worrisome is that it is now happening in urban areas, some of the places deemed to be the most protected.
This has become a worrisome trend in the zone, and has moved from just police facilities to other government institutions, with offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) being burnt down in some states of the zone. What is even more worrisome is that no one or group have owned up to the attacks, nor have they been any reason for them.
As this continue, gradually, the South-east which used to be the safest part of the country in recent times is gradually descending into anarchy, with other forms of insecurity now plaguing the zone. Today, on every road in the South-east, there is hardly checkpoints, while the few that one can find are those of the military. While the police whose job it is to maintain peace in the country internally have disappeared, the military who should be concerned with ensuring that the country is safe from external aggression and any other that can threaten its sovereignty, have now taken over the job of internal security.
The near absence of police in the society has come with attendant effect, with lawlessness becoming the order of the day today. Besides the unknown gunmen who terrorise every part of the zone, there have been cases of herdsmen killings in states, but the twin problems of cultism and armed robbery have become the biggest problem of the society, as a result of the near absence of police in the society.
In Anambra alone, no fewer than 10 police formations have so far been attacked, most of which were burnt down, while 16 police officers have so far paid the supreme price. In other states of the zone; Enugu, Abia, Imo and Ebonyi, there have been attacks on police formations too, burning down of police facilities, freeing of detained suspects, looting of the armoury and killing of policemen. This has also gone past just police attacks, as other government facilities, especially offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in various states have been burnt too, including vehicles in their premises.
What is most worrisome is that so far, there have not been reports of any group owning up to the attacks or giving reasons for their action, to suggest either a negotiation or what could be done to appease them. As a result of the attacks, it is clear that the South-east is gradually descending into the Hobbesian state foreseen by Thomas Hobbes, where life is said to be short and brutish. Currently, THISDAY can authoritatively report that conventional policing in the zone has drawn to a halt, while stations that have the courage to open no longer accept reports of crime. The attendant report is that crime level has gone up.
In Awka, cultism has become the order of the day, with cultists freely patrolling in tricycles and shuttle busses, searching for members of rival cult groups, who are constantly hacked down in various parts of the state capital. Parts of Awka like; Amaenyi and Ifite and other interior villages in Awka have been taken over by cultists who reign freely, carrying sling bags, which usually have no content but hard drugs and locally made pistols. They also freely boast of the number of people they have killed, which it is also gathered is a criterion for promotion in their groups.
In Onitsha, daylight robberies are now normal in several parts of the city, including Upper Iweka, Okpoko, Nkpor and Onitsha-Owerri Road. THISDAY gathered that even in traffic, passengers are dispossessed of their phones and other belongings, just as travelers and passers-by daily possession, while others watch with trepidation.
On all roads in the South-east, police checkpoints are no longer seen on the road, and it is safe to assume that conventional policing has stopped. In the meantime, it is clear that the police is still battling with how to safeguard its own facilities and the lives of its officers and men, while the society descends into anarchy. At Amawbia in Awka South Local Government of Anambra State, a major road leading from Awka to Amawbia and other towns in the state, which is popularly known as Enugu-Onitsha old road has been blocked with barrels, chocked with cement.
The situation has totally paralysed every business along that road, as both the police and the Nigeria Correctional Centre seek to protect their facilities from attack. The road has been blocked off for use by commuters, while intra-city commuters are made to disembark and trek for several kilometers to get past the NCS facility and the state police command headquarters, before they can join another vehicle to their destination. THISDAY also observed that policemen no longer wear uniforms while going to work, rather they carry them in their bags and only put them on when they arrive their stations. A source said the instruction was contained in an internal memo to all police officer in Anambra State.
A lawyer, Mr Chukwudi Eze who spoke to our correspondent said that policing in the South-east has come to a halt, and that if this continues for long, the zone may decend to anarchy. He stated that: “The worst situation we have found ourselves now is that the criminal elements already know that governance has failed and lawlessness is what prevails today, so they are acting with impunity, knowing that there is no one to call them to order by any means. Go to Onitsha today, you will find boys riding in a tricycle, and going from one shop to another robbing people in the full glare of everyone. They will start from one end of the street and visit all the shops in that street, and will not be in a hurry to leave. Even in traffic, they rob people and still remain in the same traffic in their keke, and no one will say anything.”
CP Chris Owolabi, the new state commissioner in Anambra disclosed during a meeting with journalists to announce his resumption to duty that it would be hard for the command to continually put out men in the field, who risk being attacked and killed. “What we want to start doing is to move into the communities and even engage leaders and to sensitise the people on the need to stop this act of violence.
” The policeman is someone’s son, he is someone’s husband and he is someone’s father. He is also affected by whatever condition that others face. The police cannot police you if you do not give them the cooperation to do so. It is for that reason that we are appealing to the people to speak to whoever these people are on the need for peace to return again,” he said.
Meanwhile, it was also gathered that in seeking solution to happenings in the South-east, the Inspector General of Police, Mr Usman Baba last Wednesday commanded his men to take the battle to the door steps of those attacking police. The IG was quoted as saying, “Take the battle to them, wherever they are and kill them all. Don’t wait for an order. Don’t sit and wait for them to come, take attack to them and don’t lose your arms to criminals.”
Though some analysts have said that the order may lead to the killing of innocent people, but for now the result of the order is being awaited, and except the tactics yields result, the South-east will further slide into a Hobbesian state, where life is nasty, short and brutish.
credit: thisday