By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, has said that some vigilante operatives in the state work hand in gloves with criminals in the communities, hence sabotaging government’s efforts in fighting insecurity.

He accused the community based security outfit of entering covenant with criminal elements who he added has infiltrated the security outfit.

This was contained in a statement by the Governor’s Press Secretary, Mr. Christian Aburime. Soludo made the accusation during a meeting with the traditional rulers in the State on Wednesday in Awka.

The statement partly reads: “Part of the problem we experience is that many of the vigilante operatives took oaths with criminals; they were infiltrated.

“How many of those in charge of community vigilantes reside in their communities? This is a very critical question I throw to you all. How can the Commander of Achalla Vigilante, for example, be living in Awka or Onitsha? It’s not possible, which is why I raise this fundamental issue of command and control.”

According to the Press Secretary, the Governor also revealed the reason the has not signed the monthly payments of the vigilante operatives, and also vowed to hold the traditional rulers and Presidents-General accountable if the vigilante operatives in their communities misbehave

According to Aburime, the governor also raised the issue of cultism in Ihiala and reiterated that his government spends the most on security infrastructure in Ihiala compared to any other local government area in the State.

“We, as a government, are determined to fix the insecurity situation in Ihiala, but the community must be prepared for that, even if it means reconstituting the vigilante force. Communities must show a concerted effort to police their areas and enable them to open on Mondays. They must convince their residents to open businesses consistently, and if this is done persistently, the issue of sit-at-home will eventually die out,” Aburime quotes his principal as saying.

While noting that the central agenda of the meeting were security, environmental and community development, the Press Secretary, in the statement, said the gathering commenced with a moment of silence held in honour of the recently murdered President-General of Umuoji and the victims of the Odu-Igbo Market tragedy in Ochanja.

According to the Governor’s Press Secretary, the meeting was graced by all traditional rulers and presidents-general representing all the 179 communities in Anambra, as well as top government functionaries.

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