The Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Mr. Hosea Karma, on Wednesday identified the greatest challenges faced by the state police command as the activities of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the herdsmen who are having ugly encounters with indigenes in many communities in the state.

The commissioner made the statement while addressing members of the Anambra State House of Assembly Committee on Police Affairs and Security, who paid him a courtesy call.

He stressed that the combined activities of the three groups had led to increased murder cases in the state.

In his words, “No fewer than 36 persons were gruesomely murdered in the state between January and April this year. Details showed that nine were murdered in January, five in February, 15 in March while seven had already been recorded in April.

“These murders are giving us sleepless nights, especially as they started happening after we had arrested the problems of armed robbery, kidnapping and cult- related activities in this state. But we are not going to allow it to continue as our men are equal to the task.”

Karma said that some of the murder cases involved brother killing brother, son killing father, mother or sister, among other family issues.

He however expressed worry that while the police was battling with IPOB and MASSOB, the issue of herdsmen reared its ugly head, a development which he said prompted the State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, to set up a special committee headed by the CP, with personnel from the Army, the Department of State Service (DSS) and the Civil Defence as members.

The CP regretted that Anambra command had the least manpower among the South East police commands saying that the command had only about 50 drivers when it is supposed to have at least 500.

He further said that the number of functional vehicles were inadequate and urged the lawmakers to assist the police in whichever way they could.

On the issue of IPOB and MASSOB, Karma reminded them that where their rights end is where those of the police begin.

While hailing the state House of Assembly for passing the law on the demolition of assets acquired through kidnappings in the state, he urged them to maintain their tempo as he observed that the law had helped in reducing crime in the state.

Earlier in his speech, the Chairman of the committee, Mr. Victor Okoye, told the CP that they were at the police headquarters to work out a synergy between the House of Assembly and the state police command.

•Photo shows Anambra CP, Hosea Karma.

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