Maduako Igbokwe I Sunday, February 02, 2025
AWKA, Anambra – An aspirant for the vacant position of Anambra South Senatorial District of Anambra State at the Senate, Barr. Donald Chidi Amamgbo, has criticized the system where security agents are assigned to a few wealthy individuals, leaving the larger society to suffer.
Amamgbo, a U.S.-based lawyer and Anambra South Senatorial Aspirant on the platform of Labour Party (LP) made this statement while addressing journalists over the weekend on how he intends to address insecurity in his zone if elected the senator representing the zone.
He noted that for years, Anambra South, particularly Ihiala, Nnewi South, Orumba South, and other parts of the district, have been under siege by non-state actors, kidnappers, and criminal elements, who have turned once-thriving communities into theaters of fear and bloodshed.
Amamgbo also stated that his people, who are predominantly traders, industrialists, farmers, and professionals, now live in perpetual anxiety, unable to go about their lawful businesses due to insecurity.
According to him, he will work assiduously to ensure that security is provided to every citizen, irrespective of status if elected.
He noted that he will ensure laws are made to prevent security agents from being assigned exclusively to wealthy individuals.
“All prominent personalities, from governors to senators, House of Reps members, and other notable public officeholders, need to be stripped of police protection. Knowing this, stakeholders would quickly show commitment to internal security by overhauling the system if they no longer have access to police escorts,” he said.
He also stated that if elected as senator, he would ensure that security votes allocated to state governors are not seen as pocket money they can spend recklessly.
“Such security votes must be reviewed, especially in areas where insecurity has become so pronounced that people now live in fear, hardly able to run their businesses or sleep in peace. A committee made up of well-meaning citizens who are professionals in their various fields should be constituted to handle the funds, ensure compliance, and enforce accountability. In that case, the governor will only be expected to submit his security priorities for funding and follow-up,” he added.
As a seasoned international lawyer, he noted that insecurity is not just a local problem; it is a national and international issue, a socioeconomic problem, and a governance and legal challenge that requires strategic local, state, national, and international intervention.
He stated that if elected as the senator representing Anambra South, he will leverage his contacts as a U.S. lawyer and his position in the Nigerian Senate to drive legislative and policy solutions that will reclaim Anambra South from the grip of insecurity.
Amamgbo said that he will push for economic revitalization and job creation to address the root causes of insecurity by championing initiatives that empower youths with skills and capital, diverting them from criminal tendencies.
He also vowed to sponsor security bills and advocate for special federal interventions to strengthen local policing structures, enabling community-based security frameworks.
He further stated that if elected, he would facilitate stronger synergy between law enforcement agencies and traditional institutions to ensure intelligence gathering and swift response to threats.
“I will lobby for increased funding for security infrastructure, including surveillance technology and body cameras, to track and neutralize criminal elements,” he added.
According to him, insecurity is not just an Anambra South problem; it is a national and international emergency. He called on the federal and state governments to urgently deploy more resources to tackle this menace before it spirals further out of control.
He concluded by saying that the people of Anambra South have suffered enough, and the time to act is now.
