CLO calls for united, cooperative efforts to stem insecurity in S/East
The Chairman of CLO in Anambra, Mr Vincent Ezekwueme, made the call while speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Tuesday on the spate of insecurity and the need for residents to assist government and security agencies in the region.
Ezekwueme noted that although the major responsibility of government remains to protect lives and properties of its citizens, residents of the region had a vital to play in achieving optimal security.
According to him, residents must imbibe and demonstrate the popular saying “if you see something, say something”.
He decried the current outrageous kidnapping, armed robbery, killings, violent crimes, arson and other forms of criminality which are rampant in the South-East.
“It is no exaggeration but existential reality that there is no day in the South-East that violent crimes, armed robbery, kidnappings and killings are not recorded,” he said.
The chairman appealed to all tiers of government to marshal out strategic and proactive plans with the locals on tackling insecurity, especially with idle hands and minds in localities that act as informants to criminals.
“We passionately appeal to President Bola Tinubu to unconditionally release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to douse political tension in the South-East and beyond, restore economic activities, improve security and totally put an end to the sit-at-home order.
“It would be recalled that the two prominent Igbo leaders, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi and Prof. Ben Nwabueze, who passionately appealed for the release of Kanu to former President Muhammadu Buhari, have died without that honour being done to them.
“President Tinubu should kindly and patriotically release Kanu as a great tribute to their memories and check those using the guise of agitation to commit heinous crimes in the region,” he said.
In a related development, the CLO boss urged state and local governments in the South-East to check activities of illegal revenue agents, touts and emblem boys, whose activities are creating illegitimate multiple taxation as well as high cost of goods and services.
According to Ezekwueme, these illegal revenue agents have nearly plunged highways in the region to places of lawlessness, anarchy, absurdities and impunity, operating with reckless abandon.
“We commend Gov. Charles Soludo of Anambra State for establishing the Anti-Touting Squad,” he said, suggesting that the squad should operate from 6 a.m. to about 9 p.m. for effective result.
“Other four South-East state governors should emulate the governor of Anambra State to create sanity and decorum on our roads and even learn how genuine taxes are collected from the people,” he added.
