USE NON KINETIC APPROACH TO CURB INSECURITY IN IMO — RULAAC
REPORTER: CHINAZO ILECHUKWU
Civil Society groups have called for collaboration between law enforcement agents and the public to end insecurity ravaging the south east.
At a security dialogue organized for the Police, women and youths in Owerri, the Imo State capital, the Executive Director of a nongovernmental organization, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Mr. Okechukwu Nwanguma, lamented that violent crime had remained a source of concern, especially in Imo State.
According to Mr. Nwanguma, aside from the killing of women and youths in the area, traditional rulers had continued to fall victims, noting that the sit-at-home by secessionist group had wreaked havoc in the economy of the southeast region.
Mr. Nwanguma advocated the use of a non-kinetic approach in fighting crime and called on the government to explore the option of dialogue in maintaining peace.
The Executive Director of another group, African Youths Initiative on Crime Prevention, Mr. Chris Ibe, said no meaningful progress would be recorded in any society devoid of peace, hence all hands must be on deck to ensure a safe environment.
He commended the Imo State Police Command for a renewed vigour in crime prevention and solicited the cooperation of residents to rid the state of criminal activities.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Danjuma Aboki, urged the youth to deploy their talents to positive direction to complement the efforts of the police in crime fighting.
He expressed regret that many youths in the south east had been brainwashed into taking arms against their kinsmen, adding that violent crime had brought sorrow to families of victims.
The Chairman National Youth Council of Nigeria Imo State Chapter, Comrade Humphrey Osuji and the President of the National Association of Imo State students, Comrade Anthony Uju, attributed the unrest in the society to a long period of neglect of youths.
Other participants called on security agents to ensure respect of fundamental human rights and called for an end to indiscriminate arrest and extortion of youths as well as harassment at checkpoints.
EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU
