A group, Abia Stakeholders Forum, has tasked the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to redeploy the Abia State Commissioner of Police, Mrs Janet Agbede and the Area Commander in Chief of Aba, ACP Kabiru Ibrahim, over the rising level of criminal activities in Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state.
The group which comprised Abia indigenes and non indigenes who have huge investments in the state lamented that both police officers have shown gross incompetence and inabilty in tackling insecurity and criminal elements in state, especially in Aba and environs.
In a statement signed by the President of the group, Chief Nwogu Chukwudi and Secretary, Dr. Nwadiba Nwosu, said the city of Aba once used to be a peaceful place where young men, women and everyone work hard to survive but things have taken a dangerous since the past two years as criminals elements have taken over everywhere without any challenge from the police.
“On the 18 of February, 2022, a family man was shot in the heart and he later died at Port Harcourt road by Furo street for refusing to give his phone to some criminals known as Aro cult who demanded for his phone at gun point by 6:30 am in the morning of that fateful day. Till date, no move has been made by the police to apprehend the perpetrators of such dastardly act.
”On Tuesday, 15 March , 2022, another robbery incidence that lasted for over 7 hours in the night took place at Nwalozie street off Uratta road, Aba. The robbery gang popularly known as Aro cult wrote a letter to the residents of that area informing the residents that there are coming to rob them on 15 March, 2022 which they fulfilled. The Aro boys told the residents that they have over powered the police and other security agencies in the state hence their power to rob whoever the want at any time.
”The Aro cult have even grown wings that motorists and Okada riders pay as high as N100 per day to them to avoid being rob by them. These cult group are mostly young men and young girls of 16 to 25 years of age who operate with guns robbing people in Aba in broad daylight. Business men and women give them money to appease them.
The group listed areas in Aba where the Aro cults are fully operating without any fear as Ngwa road and environs, Ohanku road and environs, Obohia road and environs, Port Harcourt road and environs, Ogbor hill, stressing that the cult boys now rob at will.
“Aba is totally in Comatose security situation and we have an Area Commander of police in Aba and a Commissioner of Police in Abia State paid with tax payers money to provide security for Abians and its residents.
“We are equally aware of a police checkpoint opposite the office of the Commissioner of Police at the state police headquarters where motorists daily undergo extortion with CP watching from the windows of her office.
“In saner climes, the CP and the Area Commander of Aba are supposed to return all the salaries and allowances the have received since their deployment to Abia state and charged to court for negligence of duty.
“We have no place to run to if we keep quiet and allow these criminal elements who call themselves Aro cult to chase us out of our homes and business places. They rob business men and women in broad daylight without any fear of law enforcement agents. The situation is really bad.”
To arrest the situation, the group called for the immediate removal of Kabiru Ibrahim and Janet Agbade and the posting of experienced police officers to man the two positions.
“We have cried enough, we want the IGP Usman should deploy competent hands as Area Commander for Aba and CP in Abia state who will take their duties and seriously to chase out these criminals terrorising Aba and Abia state. CP Agbede has overstayed as CP in Abia and should give way to a competent police officer.”
