Igalas are getting apprehensive on a daily basis over the likelihood of a violence-prone general election next year. The reason is the wanton disturbances across the Kingdom, from Abocho to Anyigba, Ankpa to Idah.
Political thugs reportedly invaded a stakeholders’ meeting of the members of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP in Anyigba with AK 47.
The thugs invaded the environment with a Red Toyota Corolla Saloon car with a covered plate number said to belong to Dekina Local Government official, over five cars were destroyed including Amidu Isah the Anyigba ward Chairman, Ayuba Umoru, Eti-Aja Anyigba Unit Chairman’s car were also destroyed The political meeting was organised by the state’s opposition party to reconcile the aggrieved members ahead of the coming election.
Anyigba is known for several cult activities with so many cult boys available Many of them are said to have since been hijacked by politicians who equipped them with dangerous weapons. Today, whenever and wherever they choose to demonstrate, residents in that area go to bed while it is still day. They carry out a reign of terror and violence in society, nowadays.
Peoples Democratic Party PDP in kogi east has come under serial attack, yesterday in Abocho thugs randomly fired a sporadic gun shot at the peaceful meeting in Abocho town with over five motorcycle destroyed, the victims are helpless due to the facts that the said thugs enjoyed government support and police escort.
THE OBSERVERS TIMES called state commissioner of police on the happening, CP Ali Jega referred the reporter to the state police PRO, who is yet to pick his phone as at the time of the report.The igala kingdom has been experiencing increasing security challenges which appear to have defied solutions. The people of the kingdom seem to have lost count of repeated promises and reassurances by government on how to restore peace in society.
This revealed that the perpetrators of these heinous acts are not spirits; they are known to government but for reasons known to the powers that be in the state, such killers are shielded and treated as untouchables.
Last two months more than Ten people were killed by unknown killers in that same Anyigba which is fast becoming notorious for crimes and under dark forces operation till date the police in the state are yet to arrest anybody in connection to the killing.
The Observers have also said that governments (mishandling of the killing is also a recipe for greater violence as the country moves into the election season.
Today, many parts of Igala kingdom are “gunarised”. Some of the “warlords”, who have their abodes in the ruling political party are controlling huge cache of dangerous arms, more sophisticated than even the ones being owned by the state all awaiting the general election.
Many years ago, in igala land whenever bad boys heard that the police were coming, they would naturally take to their heels, because they had lesser sophisticated firearms than the security agencies, not so any longer.
Lamenting the danger of the illegal arms in the hands of criminals, in Igala land a publicist said that today, it appears that states have lost the capacity to guarantee security of lives and property.
Who made the observation during an exclusive interview with BusinessDay, said: “The capacity of the state to guaranteeing security of lives and property is also a function of the state of the economy. It is the duty of the state to buy guns; to maintain a police force, military and all which is superior to those of the ones challenging them. But a situation where non-state actors are now challenging the state, in the area where the state used to have monopoly; then there is problem.”
“In those days if you hear that government is coming, you run away because government has uniform and has guns. But today, uniforms and guns are no longer a monopoly. In fact, non-state actors- the thugs and cultists and all the others- have bigger guns. Theirs is even more frightening. Armies and soldiers have a protocol for deployment of forces. Now, a thug or cultists has no protocol, they have no rule of engagement; in fact, the bigger the gun a person wields, the more the person is a commander. And as a result of that, insecurity which breeds instability becomes the order of the day,” he further said.
Igala Land, All hands must be on deck
Giving some words of advice, Ibrahim Audu said: It is not just enough to wish that the 2019 general election will be free from violence. Mere wishing may not guarantee that. It is therefore, incumbent on government, relevant agents of government, the media, the religious bodies and Attah Of Igala and other traditional rulers and everybody to see it as a challenge to ensure that desperate politicians do not turn the Igala land into a war zone this time around.
“This can be done through profuse mass sensitization and education. People must be sufficiently reminded about the dangers of electoral violence and the need for those prone to fall into that recruitment web to resist such temptation,” he said