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By Madu Obi
Awka- THE Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Chief Victor Umeh, has urged residents of Awka South local government area of Anambra State to mobilize and bring to an end the worrisome cult activities and allied crimes in the area, saying the Igbo nation is not known for wasting human blood.
Umeh, who spoke at the Awka City Security summit convened by the member representing Awka South 1 Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon. Henry Mbachu, observed that insecurity was impeding the development of Awka capital city despite the presence of Government House and other institutions in the area.
No fewer than 40 lives have been lost in Awka in cult related killings since January,2024.
According to him, security should be everybody's business as it affects both economic and social life of the people.
Umeh said: "Awka is blessed like every other town made capital city of a state. I urge you to secure your land so that the residents and strangers can live happily and their business thrive.
Do Awka well so that everyone will come to invest. No one likes to invest in insecure environment".
Also speaking on the occasion, the member representing Awka North and Awka South Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Professor Lilian Orogbu, said she was pained as insecurity in the state capital had forced many scholars and experts to shun invitations to programmes, reminding them that it could turn Awka into a glorified village if left unresolved.
For his part, the Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, Mr Somtochukwu Udeze, who spoke through the Majority Leader, Mr Ikenna Ofodoeme, expressed optimism that cult related crisis would become a thing of past once the executive arm of government fully implements the anti cult law already passed by the state legislature.
According to Udeze, the bill stipulates relevant punishment and sanctions to cultists, including their friends, sponsors, landlords, producers and marketers of riffles, owners of vehicles or premises used for cult related activities and whoever showed up as witness or signatory to meet their bail conditions.
A chieftain of the Labour Party, Mr Valentine Ozigbo identified insecurity as topmost challenge confronting Awka and Anambra State and urged Governor Chukwuma Soludo to rise up against it through job creation, provision of enabling environment for businesses to thrive, and putting a stop to multiple taxations and other anti people policies.
"There is no sense of urgency from the government that is living in denial. Government should take full responsibility of security of lives and property as number one top priority because many Anambra people are scared of coming home again. There are many ways to solve the insecurity problems considering economic and political angle to it.
We need to deal with insecurity from the roots. The government needs to create jobs and favourable environment for businesses and people to live peacefully. There is also need for the government to stop using taxes and policies to kill businesses. There is need to embark on job creations and empowerment. "
He commended the convener of the summit, Hon. Mbachu for taking the bold step and called on other lawmakers to organize similar security summits in their constituencies to chat a way forward because security of lives and property is everyone's concern.
Earlier, the convener and member representing Awka South 1 Constituency, Hon. Henry Mbachu, explained that the summit was aimed at brainstorming on insecurity troubling the capital city with a view to proffering lasting solutions to it.
Mbachu, who wondered how things degenerated to the present situation where some people hunt for the blood of their fellow humans, said the anomaly has forced many families into becoming childless, fatherless, motherless, widows and widowers because the perpetrators kill without having mercy on anyone.
"This gathering is not political, but a plan to rejig the security in my constituency Awka South 1 comprising Awka and Okpuno. I have met with several stakeholders and mobilized them to join us in speaking in one voice so that we can make this place secured and better to live for all.
Whatever decision we reach will be taken to the executive for action," he noted.
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