As the country battles to stamp out insecurity across board, Speaker Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji has said the nonchalant attitude of the police and other security agencies in dealing with the issues is a result of the negative impact the #EndSARS protest had on them last year.
The Speaker who spoke while presiding over plenary on the floor of the Assembly on Tuesday night against the backdrop of attacks in Isialangwa South where a police post was burnt down and security personnel beheaded in cold blood, and Isuikwuato urged the police to rise above their challenges and tackle insecurity with the needed energy.
According to the Speaker, the recent heightened security challenges in parts of the country that were hitherto peaceful won’t be far from the hijacked #EndSARS protest.
He said the original intention of the conveners of the #EndSARS protest was thwarted by hoodlums who started destroying people’s properties, businesses, and houses, burning down police stations, and carting away firearms in the process.
“What we are witnessing here today is the total nonchalant attitude of the police and other security agencies because of the hijacked #EndSARS protest which hugely affected them negatively. But that should change.
“Also the Laws made by us here and the many resolutions passed by the elected representatives of the people are not being implemented as expected. We have passed the Anti-Grazing Law and I’m made to understand the Governor has given his assent to it. if anybody wants to do Cattle business in the State, the person can do ranching where you buy a piece of land, fence it, and put in the cows there and do your business. In such a way, you don’t cross paths with the locals.
“The issue of kidnappings having some colouration of collaboration with some security agencies should also be looked into because it is abominable,” he said.
He vowed that the Assembly will make use of the instrumentality of its power to make inquiries from relevant security agencies on what needs to be done to secure the people of Abia.
“As an arm of Government, we have the constitutional powers to invite anybody here to give us some answers to questions we want so we can pass same to our Constituents because we will be failing in our duties if we don’t do anything concerning this matter as our people are being kidnapped and shot. If we don’t do anything now and the people take laws into their hands, it will only lead to an escalation of an already bad situation” the Speaker said in an emotion-laden voice.
“We need to look deeply into these reoccurring security breaches that have been happening in Isuikwuato and other parts of the state especially the one that just happened in Isiala Ngwa South before it escalates, which might lead to a total break down of law and order”, the Speaker said.
