The killing of security men in Imo

FOR a long time, things have fallen apart in Imo State. And so last week’s incident in which the so-called ‘unknown gunmen’ killed eight security personnel, including soldiers, police officers, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and members of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), heartrending and chilling as it was, is rather routine in the state where wanton bloodshed has become a defining characteristic of daily existence. When public facilities are not being set alight, security operatives and anything that reminds the outlaws of the Nigerian State are being targeted for destruction. Countless numbers of ordinary citizens caught in the crossfire have been dispatched to the great beyond, and in the most bestial fashion. The latest tragedy, which occurred  in Umualumaku village, Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of the state, caused pandemonium in the community. The hapless security operatives were burnt alive inside their operational vehicles, and reinforcement teams were dispatched to the crime scene with the purpose of apprehending the suspects and retrieving the corpses of the deceased.

According to the police spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi, the security agents were responding to a distress call from the area, which turned out to be fake and designed to lure them into an ambush. Adejobi said: “The acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has assured the public that the police are fully committed to collaborating closely with other relevant authorities to conduct a thorough and comprehensive investigation into this heinous act. They are relentlessly pursuing the cause of justice. The IGP has ordered a clampdown on non-state actors following the recent attack and extended thoughts and prayers to the families of the fallen heroes. He pledged that the sacrifices made by their loved ones would not be in vain.” The force urged anyone with information relating to the incident to come forward and actively assist in the investigative process or send in information anonymously through the NPF’s social media handles or via email.

This incident is, to say the least, regrettable and we extend our deepest condolences to the Nigerian military, the NPF, the NDLEA and the NSCDC. The deceased security operatives, members of a Joint Security Task Force team, were trying to enforce the peace in the affected area when they came under enemy fire and paid the supreme sacrifice. There is no doubt that with this dastardly incident, the ranks of security operatives, inadequate as they were, have been further depleted. We sympathise with the families of the victims who had been trying to rid Imo State of crime. We hope that the authorities will ensure speedy payment of their entitlements to their grieving families and extend whatever support is required to assist them in this terrible hour. The losses are irreparable, but the pains can be minimised.

Nonetheless, it is important for security agencies to vet and review the information they get and avoid getting trapped by criminals. This, apparently, would involve getting closer to the communities in the state and maintaining a relationship built on mutual trust with them. The state government, working with the security agencies, should also ensure that the killers are brought to book, for nothing encourages crime like the lack of consequences for perpetrators. In all probability, the perpetrators will strike again, and in deadlier fashion, if they are not swiftly apprehended and given a dose of their own medicine. In addition, however, it would be important for the Imo State government, working with the government of the other South-East states, to evolve strategies for dealing with the menace of the Eastern Security Network (ESN) and give the people of the region the much-needed relief. For a long time now, people have been brutalised and killed and their properties destroyed by the outlaws who are riding on the waves of popular dissent in the zone over its relationship with the rest of Nigeria.

It would also be important for the Federal Government to take stock of developments in the zone and address the injustices complained of, including the easily overlooked question of fairness and geopolitical balance in federal appointments. This should be done along with a realistic programme of  cutting off the supply of arms to non-state actors and granting amnesty to outlaws who are willing to embrace peace. If this is not done, Imo State and indeed the entire South-East region will continue to witness the kind of dastardly incident that occurred last week. Imo State is preparing for a governorship poll and security needs to be firm, but the Nigerian State must be concerned with life outside of election days when the security apparatus of the state is heavily unleashed to contain threats. The impression should not continue to be given that law-abiding citizens can be subjected to horrifying treatment by outlaws at any time, except on election day when security agents are everywhere.