I have read the Press Release of ANAMBRA State Commissioner for information and other sides of argument by Soludo Chief Press Secretary @~Christian Aburime. Let me state clearly there was no unknown gunmen that attacked anywhere in Anambra State. In one of my responses to the Press Release, I was very blunt with Chief Press Secretary to Governor Soludo. They should stop blaming the citizens. Whatever that happened today, the state Government should be blamed and held accountable.
We all know the security situation in the south east and going by what these people have been doing in Enugu and Ebonyi recently. From this Press release, the Commissioner for Information said in Paragraph 2 that “Truth of the matter is that those they saw were men of the Anambra State Vigilante Group.”
These AVG or whatever they are called have no training at all. If the State Government wanted to do security parade or show of force, they should alert the citizens. At Savoy, these men came down in sienna Bus with their faces covered with face mask and were shooting in the air. There was no provocation or anything from anyone. People became scared and started running for their lives. Even Schools around that axis closed and send school children back home. One of my friends who owe a Plaza around that axis, sent to me the video Footage and how people were running. Pictures of school children running back home. This is the beginning of the panic.
This scenario is a typical example of what happened three days ago at Nkwelle junction by Housing, where 5 people were kidnapped in a day light. People around thought it was the AVG, until it was obvious they are unknown gunmen and kidnappers. The news spread like wildfire. Those around that area even took a video of the kidnap.
What happened at savoy, repeated itself at Aroma, even at Bridge axis. The same AVG as Mr Commissioner stated in his Press release, approached Aroma axis of the flyover, jump down from their sienna Buses and started shooting up in the air. People ran for dear lives. The Army Patrol came and pursued them. They would have wasted those boys today, before they were told it is from AVG people. The Army slapped a hell out of some of them for that unprofessional behaviour. The Army in their truck were asking them, why are you shooting? You can ask those women selling things at Aroma today, to narrate it very well for you.
The question is, why creating the panic when there is nothing happening. So don’t blame those who were not circulating of the shooting. Did shooting take place at those places. It happened.
So if there is anyone to blame, blame your SA on security and those managing the security situation in the state. What they did today was so unprofessional.
Thank you.
I am Paschal Candle.