Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State yesterday placed a N5m bounty on any gunman found or identified by whistle blowers in the 179 Communities in the area.

Also, Soludo has signed the Homeland Security Bill into law. Known as Agunechemba,(The Lion that guards the city), the law stipulates the use of maximum force to smoke out gunmen and criminals out of the bushes in Anambra State.

The Governor also revived the use of the 1980s popular Boys Oyeh slogan, that was used to quell Onitsha Commercial city from the strong fangs of criminals, noting that the situation in Anambra State needs every element of brute force on confirmed gunmen and kidnappers in the state.

Making this pronouncement while launching the Operation Udo Ga Chi (Peace will reign) Security Outfit in the state, he also announced the recruitment of trained 2,000 more vigilant operatives to join the already existing personnel in the area. According to the governor: “The State Agunechemba is a strong strike/intervention force that will be agile and mobile, underscoring that effective kinetic architecture that would require a simultaneous interplay of bottom-up and top-bottom forces”

“Today, we launch a Special intervention force code named: “Operation Udo Ga-Achi” which translates to Operation Peace Shall Prevail. This special intervention, as an emergency action, complements regular policing by up scaling intelligence gathering, reward whistleblowers, enhance rapid response, and urgently root out the criminals from any/every camp in Anambra State.

“We are investing heavily in logistical support. We are unveiling some 200 vehicles made fit for purpose to aid operations and many more will be procured soon.

“This special force will have some 2,000 personnel— Police, Army, Navy, Civil Defence, DSS, Agunechemba, plus other ‘special forces’. We are mainstreaming technology.

“We have installed best-in class Tracking System; emplacing a Command-and-Control system, which enhances the use of voice, video and data in security management; deploying AI-powered surveillance cameras, which we intend to cover most communities in Anambra; etc. Our State Call Centre is enabled, with the toll-free lines 5111 and 08002200008. Another platform run by the Nigerian Communication Commission has the call line 112 for emergency communication.”

He continued: “Operation Udo Ga – Achi shall also be supported by the state’s recently established independent communication network, which enables security personnel to communicate flawlessly using Walkie-Talkies. We need people in the communities to give information to security agencies. Where you feel information given will be used against you, relay such information through our phone lines in Anambra State Call Centre.

“We will also be reviewing possible assistance to the existing Correctional Centres to expand their facilities and will embark on building the State’s Correctional centres. In partnership with the Federal Government, communities, patriotic Ndi Anambra and corporations, we intend to gradually re-build the 28 divisional police offices that were burnt down by the hoodlums”

“Let’s begin the implementation of the Homeland Security Law immediately. We call on all communities (traditional rulers, president-generals, etc) to read the law and set up the relevant security governance structures urgently. We plan to start paying monthly security support/grant to communities to augment their investment in security

“The Mayors of respective Local Governments should also act urgently. We will work with the Commissioner of Police and DSS to identify the top 10 LGAs with history of violent crimes. As communicated to the DPOs and Area Commanders, we will pay a monthly bonus of N10 million for every month that any of these LGAs records zero violent crimes.”

“We will map out communities and also design a reward system. In the meantime, we encourage each community to design and execute its own “cleansing or restoration programme”.

“For whistleblowers, anyone that gives us credible information that leads to the arrest of any kidnapper/armed robber or information that leads to rounding up of criminals in a camp will be paid a bounty of any amount up to a maximum of N5 million (depending on the class of criminal)”

The governor added: “I salute particularly those from Ihiala Local Government. Currently, we have four FOBs stationed in various locations in Ihiala. There are ongoing clearance operations — and we are determined that the people of Ebonesie—Orsumoghu, Lilu, Isseke, Mbosi, etc and indeed the entire Ihiala Local Government must be totally liberated from these criminals.

“We must all collectively confront the warped ideology and agitation that lead many among us to view security personnel as the enemy, and the criminals as the liberators.

“Those who contribute food and money and send to the criminals in the bushes are part of the problem, and we will begin to treat them as collaborators/criminals. I call on everyone—the town unions, clergy, traditional rulers and all civil society organizations to join in deconstructing the dangerous narratives that legitimize this criminality.”

“For our long-term survival, we must rise up and fight together. If you see or know something, say or do something!”