Stakeholders and Security experts in Anambra State have convened a security summit to come up with a solution to solve the prolong repeated cult-related killings and rising violent crime in communities of Awka metropolitan city of Anambra State, particularly in Ezinano Community.
The summit, themed ‘Combating/Preventing Violent Crimes and Cultism in Awka Metropolitan City,’ was conducted by the Ezinano community, comprising 20 villages, which are Umudiana Amikwo, Okperi Amikwo, Igweogige Amikwo, Ishiagu Amikwo, Obunagu Amikwo, Onuko Amikwo, Umukwa, Umuogwali, Umueri, Umuogbunu I and Umuogbunu II.
The other villages are Umudioka, Umuogbu, Umumbele, Umuike, Umuonaga, Umujagwo, Umuoruka, Umuenechi, and Umuokpu, which have been greatly affected by violent and cult clashes.
During the summit held in Awka, the Anambra State capital, on Monday, they saw that what was fuelling the killings was as a result of the government’s failure to provide essential infrastructure and employment for youths after seizing their lands and rendering farmlands desolate.
While speaking at the event, the convener of Ezinano Community’s Security Summit, Ozo Jeff Nweke, called on all residents to take quick action against the rising crimes in Awka, which has claimed over 20 lives already.
Nweke, who is a community leader, lamented the painful impact of cultism and violent crimes in Awka and its environs, attributing the rise in crime to the city's downfall of values and culture protection.
In his statement, he said, “Instead of security operatives resorting to ‘shoot on sight’ tactics, there is a need for a collaborative approach with security agencies to address the root causes of the problem.”
“We are not only complaining, but we are crying, violent crimes have not only taken over 20 of our children but sent them to their graves, we are crying for a solution. We are mostly affected people out of the 33 villages we have 20 villages in Ezinano community.”
“Cultism and violent crimes have taken over our community and they kill people at random and decapitate people in front of us, you see mothers losing two or three children and the people are doing it with impunity. We are not condoning the violent crime anymore.”
He lamented that despite the urgency of the security situation, the state government did not attend the summit, stressing that they decided to embark on the summit to seek a solution to various cult-related killings which have taken so many lives.
He further said that they are advocating for the need for communities and the police to have a working relationship, even as they urged security agencies to apply in-depth expertise to bring solution to the situation.
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