By Karen James
Awka, Anambra State – The rising wave of insecurity in Anambra State has left citizens in a state of fear and helplessness, with many pleading for the re-enforcement of the Anambra Vigilante Group (AVG) after a period of inactivity. This follows the harassment and labelling of AVG members as ineffective security trash by the states Police hierarchy, this mistrust led the vigilantes to momentarily re-evaluate their commitment on intelligence sharing with the Nigerian police apparatus in the state leaving especially surveillance and intel in the hands of the police that harbours superiority ego to do the work alone especially in the capital city Awka, choosing rather their primary security provision to neighbourhoods that signs their payslips. This lack of recognition and competitive brutality by Anambra state police sidelined the AVG actors from participating fully in intel sharing with the state police command.
In the aftermath of the police competitive brutality towards the AVGs in Anambra state ,insecurity has surged, particularly in the Awka axis, where residents live in constant fear due to unchecked criminal activities, including robberies, kidnappings, and cult killings. Recent findings discovered unhealthy disconnection between Anambra state police command and the Anambra Vigilante Groups especially in intel gathering and sharing that will necessitate crime reduction in the state.
“The Anambra police structure alone cannot handle the security situation in this state,” “They need sister security outfits like the AVGs to track down the criminals terrorising us.
We need the AVGs to fully partner with the state police command, these AVGs do not live in barracks ,they live among the state citizens in various neighbourhoods across the state. They are our best shot in tracking insecurity especially in the state capital Awka. The AVGs had been our watchdog, and since they stepped aside due to competitive brutality by the state police command, we have been left vulnerable.”
This investigative findings reflects the sentiment of many residents who believe that the AVG, with its local content knowledge and experience, is better placed to combat the surge in cult related crimes particularly in Awka the state capital.
The AVG can effectively handle the criminals who live amongst the people in the neighborhoods as they live amongst the people also as civilians and were mostly the first security outreach within communities
Since AVG’s withdrawal from intel sharing with the police , the police have struggled to control the escalating violence, with little to no arrests made in connection to the ongoing crimes. The growing sense of insecurity has led to calls for a reassessment of the state’s security strategy, with many urging the government to recognize the vital role the vigilante group played in maintaining peace before they were sidelined.
The Anambra State police hierarchy needs to recommit their trust with the state AVGs by sheathing their swords in brutalising AVGs functionality and commitments within the state security apparatus, they are symbiotically attached and need no separation for better insecurity driveout, but as the insecurity worsens, pressure is mounting for decisive action to restore safety and confidence among the citizens.
The people of Anambra, particularly in the Awka region, hope for swift intervention before the security situation spirals further out of control.
