From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
The Labour Party candidate for the November 8 governorship election in Anambra State, Chief George Muoghalu, has called for the immediate disbandment of the state government-instituted security outfit, Operation Udo-ga-Achi.
Muoghalu made the call in Awka during a press conference in reaction to the assault and indecent exposure of a serving National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Jennifer Elohor, by Udo-ga-Achi operatives in Oba, Idemili South LGA.
The governorship candidate, while expressing disgust and condemnation over the incident, said the Federal Government should intervene in the constant brutality against innocent citizens by operatives of the Anambra vigilante services, Udo-ga-Achi.
He said, “The federal government should make a comment about this, more so as she is on a national assignment and should be protected. The federal government should also intervene in the security situation in Anambra State.
“I was saddened by what I saw in that video because it is scandalous, not just to Anambra or the state government but to every responsible person. It is unacceptable, no matter what the lady may have done; it should have been better to arrest her in the normal way and hand her over to the police, and not brutalising, tearing her up, and bringing down her dignity.
“I stand on my authority to ask that Udo-ga-Achi be disbanded and trained. I have said many times that these people are not trained; they should be disbanded and trained. Get them trained and indoctrinated to suit what we need in this state.
“This is one too many cases. They have killed, threatened, extorted money from many, and it is unacceptable to me.”
The candidate said he learnt the operatives involved had been arrested but wondered why the victim has remained missing.
He said, “Where is the lady involved? The government should bring her to the public domain to tell her story. This is a civilised community. That she is a youth corps member makes the case worse because she was only serving her nation.”
Muoghalu insisted that the Udo-ga-Achi vigilante group was constituted solely to prosecute the forthcoming election for the state governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, which is why the Federal Government should intervene.
“The federal government must also provide enough security in the November election because it is now clear that they were constituted to prosecute the election. The Udo-ga-Achi people were constituted mainly for the election, and we saw it from the last Saturday election,” he said.
