Group Arrests 14 Fake Security Operatives In Abia

No fewer than 14 people
suspected to be fake armed members of Abia State Vigilance Group have been arrested at Osokwa in Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area of Abia State.
The Chairman of the vigilance group, Chief Udeka Onuoha, made the disclosure when he addressed newsmen in Umuahia last Wednesday.
Onuoha, a former Commissioner of Police, said the operation of the suspects was at variance with the law establishing the state security outfit.
He said that on October 17, the outfit recovered three pump action guns and 15 live ammunition from the suspects, during their meeting at Osokwa Community Primary School, Osisioma.
Onuoha told newsmen that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects had a local politician from the area as their sponsor.
“Our major concern is to uncover why they are in possession of firearms without authorisation. ‘For anybody in this country to carry firearms he or she must have due authorisation. For us in Abia vigilance group, we started carrying firearms because the Abia State House of Assembly passed a bill into law in 2002 authorising us to carry arms,’’ he said.
The chairman said the law establishing the group made it clear that no other vigilance group should operate in the state without clearance from the leadership of the outfit.
“The outfit has nine units and 12-man advisory committee duly constituted by the state government with myself as chairman of the advisory committee and Mr Martins Idika-Mba, as the state Commander-General,’’ he said.
Onuoha urged the police to investigate the matter to ascertain how the group acquired the firearms.
He warned that if the trend was allowed to continue unchecked, the state might be too hot before the 2015 general elections.
When contacted, Mr Geoffrey Ogbonna, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), who confirmed the arrest   said the suspects had been granted bail by the police.
Ogbonna said preliminary investigations by the police showed that the activities of the group were known to the nine villages of Osokwa.