How Chima Agbaeze Fought Insecurities in Isuikwuato, Abia State – Juachi Ochu

Isuikwuato is a Local Government Area in Abia State in the Southeastern part of Nigeria, with an estimated population of over three hundred thousand people. The people of Isuikwuato are most loving, accommodating and very social in nature.

Isuikwuato is unarguably the most peaceful Local Government Area in Abia state not until sometimes in early 2020, when things took the other way when kidnappers, bandits, fulani herdsmen, arm robbers flooded the land of the generals with their activities that gave almost everybody sleepless night.

Days after days, the story became worst as nothing serious was done to curb the activities of these criminal elements. They had a field day as they operate without any hindrances within the borders of Isuikwuato. They began to work with some locals to penetrate the bush and carried out their operations with ease.

All the entries and exits points in the community became a nightmare to the road users as kidnappers were now regular visitors to these areas. Many were kidnapped, robbed off their goods and monies, killed and in some cases, these criminals entered into a gun battle when faced with security agents. Coming into Isuikwuato from Abia State University Uturu (ABSU), Umuahia, Nnunya, Ebonyi-Acha road became a dead trap especially in the evening as travelers were now scared to ply these above mentioned routes.

December, 2020 ushered in a new Local Government Administrator in the person of Hon Chima Agabeze who was welcomed with series of kidnapping activities from these criminal elements and that threw the new Executive Officer off balance. There was no week that passed by without recording at least one kidnapping incident along Umuahia-Isuikwuato road or along ABSU road just within the bad spots area. The new Chairman became restless as his name and that of his principal were being mentioned often by the locals and visitors who use the road for either private or commercial purposes. Days ran into weeks and weeks into months, the cry of the people became very intensive and the new Local Government Chairman went into actions with the help and approval of the Executive Governor of the State, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu.

Several security meetings were held with all the security agencies both within and outside Isuikwuato, key stakeholders were rallied round, hunters were brought into the picture, local vigilante were formed and things began to change gradually.

Few weeks after what I would call “intelligent meetings”, information gathering, and strategic partnership with all the security organs, Local Vigilantes, Hunters and others, some arrests were made which gave him the first breakthrough. Weeks later, many of these criminal elements were arrested, accosted in some of the routes mentioned earlier and in some cases, their operations were foiled by security agents.

Communities started coming up with their own vigilante groups to support what the Local Government has put in place and to further strengthen the relationships between the council and communities within. Citizens and visitors to the land of the Generals started having some sense of belonging as everybody were all carried along so as to achieve a common goal.

Within few weeks of series of strategic meetings and planning, Honorable Chima Agbaeze matched his words with action as he was left with no other options on the table anymore. Full war was declared on all criminals operating within Isuikwuato axis and all the hunters went into the bushes, vigilantes mounted all communities, security agents were on surveillance and prompt to respond to any distress calls.

As we speak now, the land of the generals has once again regained her name as one of the most peaceful LGAs in the state. One can now sleep with both eyes closed as over ninety percent success has been achieved in curbing the crime rate in the Local Government Area.