The despicable kidnapping of the revered Prelate of the Methodist Church Nigeria, Dr Samuel Uche Kalu at Isuochi in Umunneochi LGA of Abia State on Sunday 29th of May, 2022 .by terrorists who have infested the farms and forests of Igbo land has drawn international attention to what has become a permanent feature of the inept APC led Federal Government.
The recurring decimal of insecurity, banditry and all manner of terrorism is now a perennial embarrassment and source of immeasurable grief to countless families across Nigeria in a scale and dimension never ever witnessed throughout our history as a nation.
But in a tragic display of duplicity and insensitivity, some misguided APC elements in Umunneochi led by a notorious, erratic revisionist masqueraded as Youths to mislead the unsuspecting public.
Instead of protesting against their lackadaisical leaders in Abuja or resigning their membership of the failed APC Party , they decided to play the ostrich by turning the true position of things upside down and organising a sponsored mockery against the very people who in actual fact , are the real casualties of the pervading atmosphere of tears in our land.
This dubious sanctimony and misplaced aggression sponsored by the Umunneochi APC at a time the entire Umunneochi people and Abia are mourning the deaths and decapitation of our innocent brethren is to say the least wicked and most unconscionable.
Firstly, the Soldiers at Lomara Junction, whom they accuse of complicity in the spate of kidnappings in the Umunneochi area are controlled and posted by their APC Federal Government. The brutal terrorists that have taken over our farmlands, who are responsible for the killings and kidnapping of our innocent Citizens are alleged to be kinsmen to some of their APC Leaders. Therefore, the venue of the protests which they purport to organise at Nkwoagu and environs, should be shifted and directed to their APC Government at Abuja where their APC House of Representatives member is ensconced in the safe hallows of the Green Chamber.
Whereas we concede that there is nothing wrong with peaceful demonstrations as a veritable tool of drawing Government attention to issues of urgent importance, we must be wary of hypocritical elements whose stock in trade is to cash into serious situations like the ongoing devilish kidnapping and killings in Umunneochi, with a sadistic motive of scoring cheap political points at the expense of innocent lives.
This is because like the famous Fela intoned in one of his favourite lyrics, ” animals cannot dash us Human rights “.
APC in Umunneochi, Abia State and indeed, Nigeria, has no moral right to point accusing fingers to anybody as far as the current spate of insecurity in our land is concerned. And any member of the APC who genuinely feels strongly about the deep quagmire into which they have thrown Nigeria, should first and foremost derobe himself of the tainted toga of membership of that promise and fail Party.
The fact that State Governments across Nigeria are increasingly incapacitated by Constitutional limitations in the extent they can deploy Arms and Logistics to fight insecurity is well known to all honest citizens. In the past 7 years , Governors have had to stretch their wits to the limits, trying to carefully and ingeniously respond to this monstrous spate of killings that has reached unbearable proportions under the watch of the APC led administration in Nigeria. The APC promised us restructuring, including State Police. The APC failed to deliver on that promise.
Therefore, the deceptive posturing and gory gymnastics of APC hirelings in Umunneochi LGA and Abia against the State Government, must be seen for what it actually is – a case of sheer dishonesty, misplaced aggression and utter mischief. Instead of pointing their feeble fingers at Umuahia, they should direct their diatribes to Abuja where it belongs.
The Abia State Government under the effective Leadership of Governor Okezie Victor Ikpeazu has performed excellently well in the area of Security. In a proactive manner and inspite of obvious scarcity of resources, our Dear Governor has put in place various Security measures that have made Abia State an oasis of peace in the entire South East.
Through relentless support to all the Security Agencies and provision of vehicles, modern equipment, buildings and regular logistics support, Governor Okezie Victor Ikpeazu’s exemplary leadership is the reason for the positive results recorded in the area of Security across Abia State.
Umunneochi LGA is a unique border Community having Boundaries with all the five States of the South East. That’s why its a bit more challenging for the Abia State Government to apply most of the ingenious measures that has worked perfectly in the mainland in those axis requiring interstate intervention.
This is the reason why the failure of the APC led Federal Government, whose duty it is to carry out interstate patrols, should be the issue bothering those their members in Umunneochi LGA , Abia State and beyond. The tendency and infantile tactics of political neophytes to pull wool over our eyes and portray t the aggressor as the aggrieved in the name of demonstrations and social media rantings is thus dead on arrival.
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s Visit to Umunneochi LGA wherein he showed profound empathy with the Umunneochi Community and engaged extensively with a cross section of their people and traditional leadership is of strategic importance. The far reaching decisions and collaborative efforts derived from the first hand information obtained by the caring Governor during that session is the right approach that will usher in sustainable peace and security.
This commendable statesmanship of Governor Okezie Victor Ikpeazu shows pragmatic leadership and gave hope to the people of Umunneochi that solutions will come. It is a more practical way to foster a positive paradigm than the meaningless grandstanding and notorious noises of APC hirelings, street urchins and marabouts.
Barr Eze Chikamnayo Is The Commissioner For Information And Strategy, Abia State
