The governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Imo State, Sen. Athan Achonu, has blamed insecurity in the state to poor governamce systems.
Sen. Achonu, while on a visot to the scene of attack on security operatives by unknown gunmen at Ehime Mbano, expressed sadness that even facilities provided by private individuals for the use of security agencies, were not deployed for the purpose.
He wondered why people in authority could be sabotaging efforts to provide security for the citizenry, pointing out that if voted into office, all those will be in the past.
“I feel very sad because of what is happening. My position in all these issues is well known.
“Things like this should not be happening where there’s government. There is no government here that’s why these things are happening. This is absence of governance, that’s why things like this is happening.
“This is the exact location I bought for Nigeria police. This land here is the land I acquired for the Nigeria police, to rebuild Ehime Mbano Police Station, exactly opposite where this criminals attacked.
“If there was police presence here, security around this area, this kind of thing wouldn’t have happened.
“Government has allowed the criminals to have free rein, they have completely taken over our space. You cannot imagine!.
“That land over there is the land I acquired to build police station. Massive land”, but expressed worry that all the efforts had been frustrated due to bad governance.
He also inspected buildings and shops alleged damaged by angry soldiers that stormed the location to retrieve their slain colleagues.
“That’s the problem of our society, the rule of the jungle is what prevails now.
“That is what is increasing the spate of lawlessness in our society When people witness these , they become lawless themselves. There’s no rule of law anymore in this society”.
He emphasised that “when you have a governor who does not obey court orders, who does not obey the rule of law,” such lawless scenarios occur.
“The GOC 82-Div should call these youngmen to order. I know they are angry, but this is not the way to go about it; lawlessly.
“They are protectors of lives and property, the essence of government is the protection of lives and property. This destruction here shouldn’t have happened at all, aah this is wrong. And in the midst of hunger , poverty in the land.
“These people whose houses were destroyed, where do they start from. These people are not guilty of killing these soldiers (at best they are also victims of the activity of the criminals), what crime have they committed?”
He also called on the president to look into what happened and find lasting solutions to the issue.
