Tears, as Police bury Slain Officers

It was sorrow and anguish for the families of five police personnel who were sent to their untimely graves, first week of July, at Aba, Abia State. Eye witness account says the police men, including an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), a Corporal, a Constable and two sergeants, were shot dead by men suspected to be kidnappers at 7Up Bottling Company, along Umuola Egbelu Road, Ogbor-Hill, Aba. (Picture shows Mike Okiro, Nigeria's Inspector-General of Police)

It was gathered that the armed men were trailing an expatriate staff of the company in a black Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) and a Camry car. The expatriate beat them by alighting from his vehicle and escaping through the pedestrian gate into the compound. But when the suspected kidnappers missed their target, they transferred their aggression on the policemen who were escorting the white man.

Four out of the five police officers died at the spot, and the kidnappers set their bodies ablaze while one died at the hospital. Mr. Edgar Tam Nanakumo, Area Commander of Aba Area Police Command, recalled how the policemen were shot, and described the incident as tragic. The state police command says it is carrying out investigations on the incident. In his condolence to Edgar Tam Nanakumo, the state Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, in a visit, commiserates with the State Police Command and families of the deceased on the incident. Orji assures the police command of his government’s assistance towards alleviating the trauma of the deadly attacks on his men.
Since mid 2006 when criminal activities in Abia state took a terrible dimension, over 50 policemen have lost their lives in gun attacks, including a police orderly to Senator Enyi Abaribe representing Abia South Senatorial zone in the senate. Initially, the targets were policemen escorting bullion vans transferring cash.

But since commercial banks, located in Abia, devised an alternative of airlifting cash through helicopters, there is a shift in the operations, and policemen carrying rifles are now the targets of the hoodlums. On a regular basis, gunmen attack Police check points, shot dead policemen and make away with their rifles.

Despite recent measures adopted by Abia government to combat crime, criminal activities continue unabated in the state. Recently the state governor, in a meeting with national assembly legislators from the state in Abuja. Some of the measures adopted in the meeting included deployment of the joint task force (JTF) to Abia state; constitution of community vigilante services; deposition of traditional rulers who criminal activities go on unabated in their domain amongst others.

But the implementation of these measures could not deter crime in the state. Recently, two traditional rulers from Ugwunagbo and Ukwa West local governments were deposed. It was alleged that some kidnapped victims were found in the custody of these traditional rulers where their wives waiting for ransom fed them. Also, in the face of these measures, prominent citizens of the state have either been kidnapped or short dead in the process. Eze Chidi Nwaigwe, traditional ruler of Umuojima Ogbu Autonomous Community, was shot dead a forth night ago. According to eye witness accounts, the man was double-crossed by the suspected kidnappers after which they pulled him out from his vehicle and rained bullets on him. His corpse is still lying in the mortuary.

In a similar fate, one Dr. Aluka, an expert gynecologist of St. Mary Hospital, Aba was kidnapped. The man who is alleged to be asthmatic is critically down, health-wise, as of the time of filling this report.

Moreover, the recent ban on the operations of commercial motorcyclists in the state has aggravated the plight of the Abia people rather than reducing crime in the state. People are now walking long distances in the state. Economic activities in the state are now almost grounded as motorcycle dealers have gone out of business.

Last week, Abia state government implemented a decision which it took two days earlier by banning commercial motorcycle operators in major areas of the state including Umuahia and Aba municipals; Obingwa, Osisioma, Ugwunagbo amongst others.

Since then, there has been serious clamp-down on commercial motorcyclists in the state by security agents. The decision was greeted with criticisms. While some pundits argue that the policy was impromptu, some others contend that the government is insensitive of the sufferings of the masses of the state.
Chidi Nwangwu, one of the leaders of the Okada Union in Aba, is of the opinion that government could have given them enough time to adjust and switch to another means of livelihood.

“I have never seen a government that will stand up and displace thousands of its citizens from their legitimate means of livelihood. Abia government is irresponsible and insensitive. In Imo State, Gov. Ohakim provided tri-motorcycle and cars as an alternative means of transport and the displaced commercial motorcyclists fell back on this opportunity, but in Abia State nothing is in place“, Nwagwu argues.

Orji’s government is, also, on the dot concerning its alleged partiality in the recent distribution of taxicabs. It is alleged that the cabs were distributed among friends and relations of politicians or those that are connected in government quarters.

Barrister Ukpai Ukairo, a legal luminary, aptly captures the situation. “Gov. T. A. Orji is a wolf in human clothing. That is why he wickedly banned Okada the major source of livelihood of Abia masses”.