Essential Ndubuisi
— Commends Anambra State Police Command For Its Gallant Response
The Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Uche Ekwunife, has reacted to last night’s ugly incident where the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Anambra state and a police division in the state capital were attacked by hoodlums.
According to reports from the police and several sections of the media, the hoodlums attacked and set ablaze the police B’ Division in Awka, then proceeded to the nearby INEC office where they torched several operational vehicles of the commission and attempted to set ablaze the main headquarters building.
Ekwunife spoke while addressing journalists on Monday, May 24, 2021, during the commissioning of a block of classrooms she built at Wisdom Primary School Umudioka in Dunukofia LGA.
Reacting to the ugly incident which saw many Awka residents scamper for safety as sounds of gunshot dominated the airspace, Ekwunife noted that the security situation in the state and indeed the southeast region has taken a negative turn which is fast eroding the gains both the state and the region have made in addressing insecurity.
Senator Ekwunife described the reign of insecurity as akin to the failure of a state. She said that the current security challenge is now a national emergency that must be carefully and intelligently addressed.
“With the reign of insecurity in almost every part of the country, it has become pertinent for both the leaders and citizens to rise up to our roles in the society. Insecurity is a symptom rather than a cause which usually increases when there is disconnect between the leaders and the led as well as the existence of societal maladies such as unemployment, poverty and hardship.” the Senator said.
While reemphasizing that the primary role of government is to secure the lives and property of citizens, the grassroots friendly lawmaker tasked the traditional rulers and Presidents General of town unions to energize their local vigilante groups, even as she charged government at all levels to provide adequate support for the security agencies.
Ekwunife who had in the past highlighted the need for improvement in intelligence gathering, collaboration between the local vigilante and local communities, decentralization of the policing system amongst others as key to addressing the security challenges in the country, advised those in authority to use their offices to address the challenges of the people and ultimately build a prosperous nation where means of livelihood will be available to all working-age citizens.
The Senator however commended the Anambra State Police Command for repelling the attack on the state facilities. She said that their gallant response ensured that the situation did not degenerate, noting that the country cannot afford a total collapse of its security architecture.
Ekwunife sympathized with all those affected by the incident. She promised to continue to seek means to address the current security challenges which have become a great concern to all and assured that security will be a top priority of her government if elected as the next governor of the state.
Kingsley Ubani
SA Media to Senator Uche Ekwunife
