The Special Adviser to Governor Chukwuma Soludo on community security, Chief Ken Emeakayi, has raised concerns over the infiltration of criminal elements into the Agunechemba security outfit, accusing some of its supposed members of turning against the people they were recruited to protect.
Speaking in response to growing complaints from residents across Anambra State, Emeakayi noted that some individuals pretending to be part of Agunechemba have been involved in serious crimes, including robbery and kidnapping. He revealed that there are troubling reports indicating that these impostors are armed and now extorting money from innocent citizens under the guise of providing security.
He said: “The reason the governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, established Agunechemba and Operation Udo ga achi, is to drive away criminals in the state. It is not for the operatives to start tormenting people they are expected to protect
“We have found out that some of the people work as Agunechemba during the day and become kidnappers and armed robbers at night
“Some of the operatives claim that they have not been paid and that is because they have refused to present themselves for verification as required by law. They have been dodging from this verification exercise since January.
” Those who want to be paid should go for profiling to enable us know if they are actually members of Agunechemba and to ensure that they do not have questionable character.
“Very soon, anybody who claims to be a security operative in any community in Anambra State without subjecting himself to the profiling process, will be treated like a criminal because such a person has something to hide.
“The Anambra State Homeland Security law is very clear on the issue of knowing where every gun in the state is at any point in time and those keeping them.
We must know the full identity of everyone who claims to be a security operative in the state.
“We are, therefore, pleading that people should be alert and expose any shortcoming they discover on the part of the operatives.”
According to Emeakayi, people should not only report about suspected criminals, but also security operatives who aid criminal activities.
” People should speak out when they see operatives of Agunechemba misbehave. There is Agunechemba in every community, local government areas and at the state level. Once you notice any wrongdoing on their part, record the place and if possible, identify their vehicle and they will be dealt with according to the law”, he said.
