I eased my\u00a0 car into Mmahu-Egbema\u00a0 last week\u00a0 Sunday as\u00a0 fierce looking police officers\u00a0 of the Operation\u00a0 Rescue team\u00a0 in the middle of the road signalled me to pull over. I rolled down my window, greeting one of the officers with a “morning.” “Do you live here? Where are you coming from?<\/p>\n
Who is the owner of the car” the officer asked.”I live here” I replied.<\/p>\n
For me, I have nothing to hide. The officer circled the vehicle. A long assault rifle dangled at his side. After a few more questions and checking of my particulars, he let me drive on.\u00a0 Such checkpoints are not part of daily activities in Mmahu, the Headquarter of Ohaji\/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo state.<\/p>\n
Ohaji \/Egbema LGA\u00a0 has\u00a0 a population of more than 200,000 persons. The brief anxiety that I encountered with the policemen was as a result of a kidnap incident. Gunmen the night before, kidnapped Dr John Udogu , a prominent Medical Doctor in Mmahu-Egbema\u00a0 . Udogu was reportedly forced into a vehicle near his house. With the help of the community Vigilante group\u00a0\u00a0 in Mmahu\u00a0 and the Operation Rescue patrol team\u00a0 two of the
\nkidnappers were caught and\u00a0 Dr Udogu was\u00a0 freed. Efforts are on to get the rest of the kidnap gang.<\/p>\n
Criminals practice kidnapping to demand for a ransom to make money.<\/p>\n
Economic kidnapping is one of the fastest growing criminal industries.
\nKidnappers primarily target wealthy businesspersons. However, occasionally these gangs target Western and other foreign citizens. The kidnappers sometimes ab\u00acduct their victims from urban areas and transport them to rural areas while they conduct negotiations. They use more violence to frighten those negotiating to pay up quickly. Some of the victims are murdered after ransom negotiations.<\/p>\n
As the Christmas trees are being lit, fools who are driven by animalistic instincts will take to crimes such as kidnapping and armed robbery so as to keep up with the Joneses. Yes, the red and green garlands are beginning to appear at the entrance of buildings. Phones are now blaring Christmas carol when they ring. We are indeed\u00a0 winding up activities for that all important Christmas. One big question in the mind of Imo people abroad remains whether the Imo State government is winning the war against kidnapping. True, So many Ndi-Imo abroad have asked me this question.<\/p>\n
As a man who have severally criticised Owelle\u00a0 Rochas\u00a0 Okorocha\u00a0 the executive governor of Imo State over kidnapping in the state, I can now say comfortably YES. Imo\u00a0 state government is stopping criminals in their tracks. Imo has chalked up major victories and from the look of things will continue to do so. I say this because\u00a0 of the\u00a0 initiated strategies aimed at reducing the level of crime. Among the initiated strategies are the strengthening of vigilante policing structures all over our communities and putting up stronger law against kidnapping and crimes. Imo has put a law which empower the state to acquire and destroy properties belonging to kidnappers.<\/p>\n
I must confess that this new tactics, this new measures of\u00a0 Governor Okorocha\u00a0 are measures in the right direction. These measures are welcome development in the\u00a0\u00a0 state. I must commend him\u00a0\u00a0 in this robust and determined war on kidnapping that has great prospect of success. This new law on kidnapping and crimes in Imo state has seen significant achievements. The houses of a notorious criminal in Mgbidi, Oru West and another accomplice from Otulu, also in Oru West were demolished recently.<\/p>\n
The house of a\u00a0 prominent traditional ruler Eze Cosmas Onyeneke the Ekwueme IV of Lagwa Okwuato in Aboh Mbaise local government area of Imo State was destroyed. The house of a notorious kidnapper said to be a relation of a Traditional Ruler from Orlu Local Government was also demolished. Onyeneke\u2019s factory premises was\u00a0 a safe haven for kidnappers.Another family in Orlu\u00a0 got their house demolished\u00a0 because their son was involved in kidnapping.<\/p>\n
Perhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the violent hand\u00a0 of kidnapping\u00a0 to say, “Wait, this\u00a0 new law is too harsh.” But when you have seen kidnappers\u00a0 kill\u00a0 your\u00a0 loved ones\u00a0 because you can\u2019t afford the ransom ; when you have seen hate filled criminals beat , kick and even rape your\u00a0 sister; when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six year old daughter why she can’t see her mummy again because she was\u00a0 kidnapped and killed, and see tears welling up in her eyes then you will understand why\u00a0 harsh action on kidnappings and crime are necessary.<\/p>\n
While I express\u00a0 my\u00a0 satisfaction with the government\u2019s\u00a0 performance in this war against kidnapping , I must\u00a0 admit\u00a0 that\u00a0 there are\u00a0 still a lot of work ahead in making sure that the vigilante\u00a0 police system\u00a0 function effectively. We still need to provide more facilities to our Vigilante groups\u00a0 such as batons, handcuffs, uniforms, walkie-talkie radios, crowd dispersers,\u00a0 licensed riffles\u00a0 and vehicles to enable them\u00a0 to respond to calls in time. Their salary should be stepped up a little. They need to be equipped properly and remunerated very well. You will discover that it has become extremely difficult for robbers to invade communities at night in any part of Imo state. It is as a result of community effort at policing.<\/p>\n
We should make them to assist the police during the day. If adequate incentives are provided for Vigilante personnel, they would discharge their responsibilities effectively.<\/p>\n
Community policing is very important. Community Policing remains the best security tool to stamp out all shades of criminal practices that has\u00a0 been existing at the grassroots of the state. The people perpetrating the various shades of crimes are resident\u00a0 of the various communities. This system of\u00a0 community policing would usher in a healthier, peaceful co-existence amongst the communities guaranteeing people to sleep with two eyes closed.\u00a0 Law enforcement agencies and communities are in this together. Time-tested relationships and informed understanding of communities and police will reinforce this.<\/p>\n
Experienced officers recognize that engagement and partnerships between police and the communities consistently bring about success in the fight against crimes. The people are watching.<\/p>\n
-Kenneth Uwadi,\u00a0 Mmahu-Egbema,\u00a0 Imo State,\u00a0 Nigeria<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I eased my\u00a0 car into Mmahu-Egbema\u00a0 last week\u00a0 Sunday as\u00a0 fierce looking police officers\u00a0 of the Operation\u00a0 Rescue team\u00a0 in the middle of the road signalled me to pull over.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6467,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6461","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles-opinions"],"yoast_head":"\n