The one-day ‘security awareness’ exercise was initiated by the Central Executive Council of Obosi Development Union and aimed at declaring their readiness to combat crime and criminals.
They marched around the community starting from the town hall and across the entire five major villages that make up the Obosi community, including Mmakwu, Ugamuma, Uruowulu, Umuota and Ire.
Speaking during the exercise, the President-General of ODU, Chimezie Obi, lamented that crimes and other atrocities have continued to mar both commercial and economic activities as well as denting the image of the entire Obosi people.
Obi emphasised that the exercise, the second of its kind in the history of the administration of the town union executives is aimed at warning criminal elements in the community to amend their ways or flee from the community.
He said, “This security challenge led to the integration of Obosi Development Union Central Committee Executives, which include the branch president and their secretaries, central security units and also the village branches of the union to decide on the right steps to be taken to put a perpetual end to the ugly trend completely.
“Although many of the perpetrators of these crimes are mostly foreigners, but we are issuing a final warning to them to desist from their nefarious activities or pack their loads and leave our community. We no longer want crimes and other forms of criminalities to ever be heard again in Obosi community.
“We also engaged in this march past to also declare an end to extortions, robberies, kidnappings, human trafficking, money laundering, etc. We will engage effective tactics and strategies necessary to achieve our goal in this fight against criminalities and we also promise to make stipends available for the organised youth security system in all the villages.
“We have the political will to work and need support in terms of vehicles and other security gadgets and equipment. We need more police presence, more manpower and more recruitment of vigilante operatives.”
He pointed out that their primary focus was to secure the Obosi inland, before venturing into the urban part of Obosi and called on the governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, and other well-meaning Ndi Obosi, both home and abroad, to partner the union in the fight to secure their hometown for the betterment of all.
Also speaking, a former President General of ODU and the Commander, Obosi Central Security, Sir Dan Igbokwubiri, warned parents and guardians to contain any security threat by taming their wards or face the wrath of the law.
Igbokwubiri, who affirmed that the strategy to be deployed is an invocation of already tested and trusted tactics in the past, assured that the committee had already established a well-structured security architecture, noting that there is no escape for any fleeing criminal.
He emphasised that the challenges plaguing the entire committee is multifaceted and assured of his readiness to also collaborate with other neighbouring community to make the war against insecurity yield a maximum positive result.
Some of the kingmakers, Chief Udemba Nnodebe and Isiowo Youth Chairman, Nze Chinedu Ikemefuna, commended the leadership of the committee for their good Initiative, noting that it is indeed, a unique move to take the community back from hoodlums.
While calling for accountability, they urged the central executive council to work hard to flush the bad eggs within the community to create more room for success in the security campaign and affirm their unalloyed support and commitment to the crusade.
In his separate remarks, the transition committee chairman of Idemili North local government area, ChuksBrown Ezeoba, commended the move and assured of his absolute commitment and support in ensuring a safe and secured council area.
