By Okechukwu Onuegbu
Nri ancient Kingdom in Anaocha Local Government Area (LGA), Anambra State, Saturday, unveiled plans to rejig the security architecture of the community by mounting the closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and other modern equipments across 6 villages and strategic locations.
The community which had also trained, retrained and recruited 25 additional security personnel for Anambra Vigilante Group (AVG) Nri Chapter, vowed to arm their security outfits with government approved riffles and ammunitions, vehicles and motorcycles to cover their eight villages, improved welfare packages, handcuffs and other modern security gadgets for optimum performance.
The President General, Nri Progress Union (NPU), Chief Romanus Anayo disclosed this at a maiden edition of Nri unique Security Summit held at the community's unity hall, and attended by all stakeholders, including the Regent of Nri, Prince Ikenna Onyeso, the Anambra State Police Commissioner, Aderemi Adeoye, among others.
Anayo, who said the initiative was geared towards ensuring that nothing would stop them from achieving a credible security for the town, expressed optimism that it would also attract more local and foreign investors in the State.
He further maintained that there was a plan to train and empower the youth so they could see that there was nothing to gain from crimes and criminalities.
"Presently, we hear frequently about house burglary and property theft in
our town. We have heard of breaking of stores, stealing of vehicles at funerals and other ceremonies is now very common in our town. These do not happen before and even if they happened, it occurred not with today's frequency.
"As expected, NPU will key into the Security Policy of Anambra State Government Administration because towns are regarded as the forth level of government administration. As usual Anambra State Government use state actors. But in addition to this, they have a well structured AVG.
" Nri as a town has always been part of this arrangement, but this time around we want to be more active and robust. This is the major reason for this summit. We want all hands to be on the deck as we carry out this security reconstructing.
"All the villages should operate optimally as far as security is concerned. The essence of these is to ensure that every criminal action, impunity and abnormal behaviours are brought to book and promptly punished in accordance with the law," he noted.
The Regent of Nri kingdom, Prince Ikenna Onyeso, who expressed happiness over the development, posited that it would further bring development, peace and unity for the community and Anambra State at large.
Onyeso, who argued that it was in line with governor Chukwuma Soludo's security interventions, charged all and sundry to support the projects.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the NPU unique security summit, Oba Chukwudi Oli, assured that with the equipments, there would be no hiding place for criminals at Nri.
"We will procure items needed for the security gadgets, including handsets, CCTv cameras, smart TV, pomp actions. We will ensure that they are trained and retrained. All these our security personnel are responsible family members and responsible members of the society. Therefore, we will show them respect and maximum cooperation.
"We have mapped out unique salary structures for them. We want a situation whereby people of Nri will be well secured so that we could easily come back and relate with our families whenever we wish to return home without any fear. We do not need to be walking or driving about with the police or military as escorts when we come for festivities," he added.
On his part, a former President General of the town, Oba Kevin Obiegbunem, said he was happy over the initiative and pledged to mobilise support and collaboration from more stakeholders of the community living in disapora so as to ensure that they achieve greater results.
The State Commissioner for Police, Aderemi Adeoye, who described the community as one of the most peaceful in Anambra State, pledged that the police would support the security outfit with retraining and security empowerment aside what they have already acquired from the Civil Defence.
He, however, charged them to respect the people fundamental human rights, especially the right to life and movement, as well avoid been used for thuggery, perpetuate crimes and other selfish ambitions.
"You must remember that it is only the court that has the right to pronounce someone guilty of crimes. If you arrest anyone, endeavour to hand him or her over to the police for investigations to ascertain if the person actually committed the crime or not. Do not take laws into your hands.
" Kindly eschew personal interest while carrying out the work of security. You must guide against been used by anyone against any person because if you commit a crime while carrying out wrong order you will be the one to face the charge not the person who ordered you. Don't do what is unlawful for whatever reason," he added.
Contributing in an interview, the Commander, AVG Nri chapter, Mr Mark Okonkwo, described the security move by his community as encouraging, noting that it would also make them to establish village security outfits so as to easily secure all part of the community.
One of the members of the vigilante, Mr Chifuluobi Arinze, said they were committed to ensure that the projects would not fail by securing the whole natives and residents of Nri without fear or favour.
In an interview, another stakeholder, Mr Nwabueze Okechukwu, said that Nri stakeholders were in support of the project because security is everyone concern and once achieve, people are abound to experience peace of mind too.
Contributing, another illustrious son of the soil, Mr Nnamdi Ndubueze, commended the committee for a well thought out project, noting that he was optimistic that all their plans would succeed because Nri has capacity and manpower to achieve whatever course they wished to embark on.