From CHARLES ONYEKWERE, Awka
Operatives of the newly formed Anambra State Vigilante Service, popularly known as Agunechemba, have been accused of extorting road users.
A civil rights group, International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law also accused the security outfit of killing no less than 40 persons extra-judicially since its establishment.
In a statement made available on Thursday, the group claimed that its field officers discovered that operatives were extorting N200 from motorists at various checkpoints.
The statement was signed by the Head, Democracy and Good Governance Programme; Chinwe Umeche, Head, Campaign and Publicity; Chidinma Udegbunam, Head, Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, Obianuju Igboeli, and the Board Chair, Emeka Umeagbalasi.
The organisation claimed in the report that the incurable bane of police and military personnel on Nigerian roads, particularly across the South-East and South-South has become the modus operandi of operatives of Anambra State Vigilante Group.
It claimed that its field volunteers in at least five different locations along Nnobi, Ichida, Awka-Etiti, Igboukwu, Uga and Umuchu Road axis were seen extorting motorists.
“The checks specifically took place between January 30 and 31 during which operatives of the now dreaded outfit were sighted mounting roadblocks and forcing motorists to part with N200 note per motorist/per trip.
“The security implications of such corrupt practices on crime detection and apprehension of suspected criminals, and their criminal properties are far-reaching.
“Apart from exposing government’s inadequate welfare package for members of the new outfit and glaring lack of discipline, command, control and accountability, they can also facilitate an escape route for persons of the underworld once each motorist is forced to part with N200, not minding who or what the motorist is plying the road with,” the group said.
Also, in questioning the modus operandi of the vigilante group, the organisation said “apart from demolishing buildings which has no place in the Criminal Code, 2004, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, and the country’s 1999 Constitution, their operations have also been mired in guesswork, false labeling, hearsay conclusions, indiscriminate killings such as killing of unarmed and defenseless persons, abductions and disappearance of those arrested, and those critically shot and wounded.
“A typical case in point was the February 6 killing of the trio of defenseless artisans- Malachy Iwuanyanwu and Odinkalu Chinonso of Umueze in Ehime-Mbano of Imo State and Kosisochukwu of Isuofia, Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s hometown in Aguata, Anambra State.
“Their killing took place in Owerre-Ezukala in Orumba South during which not less than 12 others were abducted, stripped half-naked and falsely labeled or accused of being involved in kidnappings and ritual killings.
“Among the abducted defenseless citizens were three corps members abducted at the community’s NYSC camp and a deformed, later freed after being threatened and traumatised, following an outcry by their colleagues and locals,” it alleged.
