Citypost News Desk
The newly established Agunechemba security network in Anambra State, launched by Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo earlier this year, has come under heavy fire following allegations of criminal activities, human rights abuses, and extrajudicial killings.
Chioma Grace Ifemeludike, the African Action Congress (AAC) governorship candidate for Anambra State, raised the alarm in a press statement on Saturday, describing the outfit as “a criminal network rather than a security agency.”
According to Ifemeludike, incidents of violence linked to Agunechemba operatives have already been recorded in various parts of the state. She cited the killing of a woman in Mgbakwu, Awka North, and the death of a young man in Achina, Aguata Local Government Area, as evidence of the outfit’s alleged brutality.
“The so-called Agunechemba is obviously protecting their pockets and bank accounts while promoting criminal ventures in the state,” Ifemeludike said. She further alleged that operatives of the security outfit are extorting citizens, adding to the economic hardship already faced by residents due to extortion by some members of the Nigerian police.
Ifemeludike criticised the Anambra State government for what she termed its “ineptitude” and failure to create a supervisory committee to monitor the activities of Agunechemba operatives, accusing them of turning into “armed robbers and kidnappers at night.”
In her statement, the AAC candidate outlined a set of demands to the state government:
Immediate establishment of an investigative panel to bring errant operatives to justice.
Introduction of a proper verification and identification system for security officers.
Creation of a supervisory committee accessible to the public to report abuses.
Implementation of comprehensive training, sensitization, drug testing, and education programs for Agunechemba members.
Ifemeludike also warned that if there is no immediate reform or if further incidents of human rights violations occur, she would personally lead a protest to the Anambra State Government House.
“Handing guns to hungry, unemployed youths without addressing underlying social and economic issues is a recipe for disaster,” she said, stressing the link between economic hardship, insecurity, and the lack of access to education.
Ifemeludike concluded by calling for urgent government action, stating that the sight of children hawking on the streets instead of being in school was an alarming sign of societal failure.
