Since the apprehension of some unknown gunmen in Ebonyi recently over the spate of increasing violence and destruction, AMARACHI EGWUAGHA writes that calmness has returned to the once-restive state.
Insecurity has been a recurrent phenomenon in Nigeria lately, but in the case of Ebonyi state, before now, that situation can be said to be different.
Ebonyi which before now had boasted to be the most peaceful state in the entire South-east and by extension the entire country had for some months now recorded so much insecurity challenges ranging from inter to intra communal crisis. Investigation however reveals that all those are gradually becoming, if not totally, a thing of the past.
As if the previous crisis were not enough, all of a sudden, men of the underworld popularly described as unknown gunmen emerged and began to attack institutions and public places of which men of Nigerian Police Force were their major victims.
In the face of the recent security lapses, many police stations were burnt and several officers killed with their riffles taken away by the gunmen. In many instances too, some military personnel were also killed leading to the withdrawal of policemen from security check points on almost all the highways in the state.
What made Ebonyi calm
One of the most recent attacks that led to some successes recorded by the police command in the state was the attack at an ongoing construction site of Ebonyi International Cargo Airport where government personnel were attacked with huge amount of money and other belongings carted away. The attack was extended to a financial institution and public places at Onueke in Ezza South local government.
After a serious gun shots between security agencies and gunmen on the fateful day, the security personnel invaded the hideout of these criminals, caught three alive, shot some dead even though some others fled. Since then Ebonyi state has been calm.
Resident gives assessment
However speaking exclusively on the security situation in the state, a citizen of the state resident in Abakiliki, Mr Kingsley Nkwuda said, “Though the security situation in Ebonyi state cannot be said to be what is expected; however, it is not entirely bad. What I mean by that is that the security challenge in Ebonyi state is not hydra-headed.
“We have just one aspect of the challenge and that is the unfortunate and incessant attacks on police stations and their personnel. Apart from that, there is no other issue with our security.
Because of that constant attack on police formations, policemen appear to fear for their life; therefore, withdrew from many of their erstwhile duty posts, a development that had now paved way for criminals to come out from time to time to hijack cars and cease people’s phones.
“We have not had situation where these criminals invade people’s home; however, we have heard of where criminals, like I said, attacked banks and some other public spaces. But that is because we don’t have security men like police who used to be on the highways. We don’t have them now; so, they are now having an ungovernable space to dispossess people of their wares.
“Generally, Ebonyi is calm. When you come out in the night, you would not see anybody on the road as there would be no person to harass you; however, the feeling of being in Abakaliki as a town would not be there because of the desertion of humans on the road and it starts from 7:30 to 8:00 pm.
“Again, within the axis of the Old Government House, you know from 7:30pm, the place would be locked down. The reason is that we have institutions around there and of course you do not have to wait for criminals to attack first before you become proactive; that is just a precautionary measure, but apart from that, the security situation from my own perspective is not all that bad, even though generally there is insecurity.
“Without relying on any intelligence, it is most likely that the criminals who have nothing to do with the separatist agitations are cashing in on the tensed atmosphere to attack people.
“And the government, of course, that had already labelled these non-state actors as terrorist groups would always turn out to accuse people like the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) to be behind the attacks. Now that the police have succeeded in taking out some of these criminals coupled with the ones that Ebubeagu unofficially is doing, it has helped and that goes to say that it may not be IPOB so to say that is attacking the people, public spaces and public institutions. Those may be criminals who are actually trying to weaken these institutions so as to come into the society and harass the citizens.”
He said three of such persons were shot dead when the police invaded their hideouts, noting that since then, there had not been any serious breach even though one cannot conclude for now.
“We would keep on watching the situation, weighing the options and looking at the people including the IPOB members. Maybe they are the criminals; we would watch and see what happens next. IPOB, of course, has not being demobilized; it’s still intact and very strong, so if we don’t have further attacks, that goes to prove that it was not the handiwork of IPOB members but criminals who were just trying to cash in on the seemingly situation we have on ground in Nigeria to attack institutions.
Speaking further he said, “That’s why we have always said they should leave IPOB alone and IPOB has equally said they were not responsible.
“That is what I believe in; some of us who have followed the activities of non-state actors know that there is no state actor that is legitimately within its circle that would be attacked.
“So if IPOB has succeeded in crippling police stations across the South-east and at the same time denying responsibilities then what are they bringing to the table because their capability of striking the police stations is what they are bringing to the table. The government can only ask them to come to the round-table to discuss but they have been denying the allegations showing that they are not the ones responsible for the criminal activities in the state and entire region.
Ebubeagu needs full legal backing
On Ebubeagu Security Network in Ebonyi, Nkwuda further said, “It’s helping from what I have gathered but their activities are illegal and it’s also impeding on their successes and progress because there is no way you can lead an illegal body that has no backing of the law to go looking for criminals and arresting people. In the event of human rights abuse, what do you do, so you need to have a legal backing that would give them a modus operandi.”
