By David Onwuchekwa
Any time we talk about securing Anambra State, the conversation often begins and ends with the deployment of soldiers, police, and local vigilance groups.
In as much as these forces are essential, relying solely on them is like trying to fix a leaking roof with just a hammer. Security is not only about force, it’s also about foresight, inclusion, and smart governance.
At the heart of sustainable security lies community engagement. Security works best when the people are part of it.
Anambra’s vibrant communities, with their traditional rulers, town unions, and youth associations, hold untapped potential. These local actors understand the terrain, the people, and the undercurrents of local conflict.
If empowered and trusted, they can serve as early warning systems and peace brokers long before crises erupt.
Also critical is the youth. Idle hands, as the saying goes, are the devil’s workshop. With high unemployment and underemployment in the State, many young people are vulnerable to recruitment by criminal groups.
We must invest in skills acquisition, job creation, and entrepreneurship support. Giving young people something to build makes them less likely to destroy.
Governor Soludo tries in this direction but this should be expanded to involve more youths.
Technology also offers powerful tools for a modern approach to security. Imagine a network of CCTV cameras in strategic locations across Onitsha, Nnewi, and Awka, monitored in real time. Mobile apps could allow citizens to report suspicious activity anonymously. These aren’t luxuries, they’re necessities in a 21st-century security framework.
But we must also clean up the system from within. Corruption within law enforcement and the judiciary undermines public trust and emboldens criminals. Until there are real consequences for wrongdoing within our institutions, the cycle of impunity will continue. A functional justice system that delivers swift and fair verdicts is a stronger deterrent than any checkpoint.
Moreover, security isn’t just about stopping crime; it’s about preventing the conditions that breed it. Poor urban infrastructure, such as dark streets and inaccessible roads, invites criminal activity.
Lack of civic education breeds misinformation and conflict. And weak coordination between different levels of government leaves dangerous gaps in response.
We must start to see security not as a battlefield issue, but as a governance issue. It is about how well we plan our cities, educate our children, employ our youth, and listen to our communities.
Until we treat it as such, no amount of armed patrols will bring the lasting peace we seek.
Anambra deserves safety, not just from crime, but from fear and hopelessness. And that kind of safety must be built, not just enforced.
Governor Charles Soludo’s administration must embrace the 21st century’s approach, using modern technology in fullness, engaging the youths beyond all reasonable doubts, involve the traditional institutions, communities, and not just engagement of the army, police or local vigilance groups.
