Abia State Government, Security Agencies And The Need To Kill The Spirit Of “Sampson The Grave”.

By Uche Aguoru

The Nigerian Police, Abia State Command on Tuesday 3rd of December were all over the place humming songs of victory and smarting in gallantry over the killing of a notorious armed robber called “GRAVE” who had terrorized Umuahia for more than a year.

While I am excited over this achievement that might make Umuahia relatively peaceful this Christmas period, but it worries my inner mind why it took the police and other security agencies this long to get the notorious daredevil kingpin who operates openly in a particular area of the town that almost every resident of Umuahia knows him by name, his hideouts, his looks, his native address and even his favourite spots and girlfriends.

The notorious robber and his gang had operated in a manner so brazen that one may be tempted to think that they acquired their criminal licenses from some protective agency outside planet Earth, is it not insulting on the security agencies that such a notoriously popular criminal had succeeded in carrying out all the crimes he committed including killings, maimings, snatching of vehicles, breaking into people’s homes and business premises, including snatching of police riffles through same operational style and tactics for more than one year successfully unchallenged.

While the dreaded armed robbery kingpin and gang leader Sampson Iheukwumere Nwokocha, a.k.a GRAVE is dead, I am not enthused that Umuahia is now safe as the security agencies would want to make us believe, What had prevented the security agencies operating within Umuahia to carry out a raid of the valley behind government house down to Ossah Ibeku where Sampson and his gang operated from, all these period.

My major worry and that of the public right now is, where are Sampson’s gang members?

Unconfirmed reports have it that residents who operate their businesses within Palm lane, Ubakala street etc. have on different occasions allegedly contributed funds to pay to those bandits living in that forest inorder for them to stop breaking into their shops, homes and business premises which indicates that those who terrorize Umuahia are known by the people but that the masses had no confidence in the security operatives and feels better negotiating their safety and security with those that terrorize them than trusting the police for their security.

Why has the government continued to allow the notorious valley (popularly Called Forest) which stretched from the By-pass behind Okigwe Road down to Palm Lane extension to be used as a popular criminal hangout where criminals are allegedly trained and haboured with all manner of hard and illicit drugs, arms and criminal equipment merchandised?
Yes I know that security strategies are not easily discussed over the media, but Considering the fact that security of lives and properties is the first-line charge of every government, the residents needs to be reassured by both the Government and the security agencies through visible action that they won’t be experiencing the resurrection of another “Sampson the Grave” atleast in the immediate future.

Aguoru
Writes From Umuahia

Igbo people

Reports have it that he had the backing of a member of house of assembly, who uses him during election periods. This might be true or fallacy as usual. However,while being pessimistic, let's celebrate this short period of peace within Umuahia