Save us from criminal rampages, Onitsha South residents tell chairman

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By Madu Obi

Following increasing wave of criminal activities in the Fegge area of Onitsha South, the residents have called on the chairman, Chief Emeka Orji, and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Mr.Monday Ekuase to do something drastic to secure the local government.

It was gathered that the local government had come under severe attack from hoodlums in the last five months, with about 27 persons kidnapped and 50 vehicles snatched.

According to a statement by Onitsha South Local Elders Forum (OSEF), most of the kidnappings and car snatching took place at Fegge, the hub of the local government.

Chairman of the forum, Mrs Cecilia Nnaemeka and secretary, Ichie Emeka Nwakibeya, who issued the statement recalled that last Friday, a beer parlour operator was shot at Silas Works Street and he later died, while one of his customers was kidnapped.

Also on Tuesday last week, a security operative simply called Emma, was brutally murdered along Creek Road, and his service rifle was collected from him by the criminals, while one Samson Mammah Ejiofor had his Lexus 330 snatched, while his friend with him in the vehicle was kidnapped.

Another victim, the group said, was one Chukwuemeka whose Corolla car was snatched, while Rav 4, 2014 model was on November 17, 2024, snatched from the owner, and the kidnappers made away with a huge sum of money from other victims.

Again, one Emma Idemili, popularly known as Emma Gulder was also kidnapped on Friday, but he later escaped from the kidnappers' den

The Elders Forum attributed the latest increase in crime to the porosity of the local government area and lack of youths engagement.

It advised that since the criminals have become more sophisticated in their operational modalities, the security operatives should equally think outside the box.

It also suggested that no fewer than 20 security posts should be created in the local government area, while intelligent gathering from security operatives should be stepped up to track down the criminals.