Ebubeagu: Soludo should ensure things don’t get out of hand in Anambra -By Chima Christian

Gov. Chukwuma Soludo’s efforts at containing, and eventually stamping out security threats posed by “unknown gunmen” in Anambra state is yielding early results. Party differences aside, Soludo and his team must be commended for their efforts so far.

Seeing the trending story of the unfortunate killing of wedding guests allegedly perpetrated by regional security outfit Ebubeagu in Imo state, it is important to remind Prof. Soludo and the crack team he put together of the need to always follow established rules of engagement.

On the ground security resources and those who don’t know sometimes see rules of engagement as a burden. This is even more so when the adversary committed or has continued to commit heinous crimes. Yet rules of engagement are of utmost importance. They were established, after several combat experiences to avert situations like the unfortunate one in Imo state.

In Anambra, complaints of brutality, high-handedness, criminal extortion by Soludo’s crack are already piling up. I understand the volatile security environment in the state and the need for alertness and extra vigilance, but security operatives are becoming too brazen, per public complaints.

If they are not called to order, it will only take a while before the Imo incident is repeated in Anambra.

One key thing to note is that state-sanctioned security outfits don’t just wake up and commit the kind of crime Ebubeagu operatives are said to have committed in Imo state last weekend. They start by committing small unpunished crimes till they get so emboldened to the point of shooting and killing innocent civilians at will.

The reported incident in Imo State should put the Anambra State Government on notice. There is a need to put a human face to the security operations in Anambra. May Anambra succeed.

Chima Christian