Stop Calls for Disbandment of Agunechemba – Anambra Stakeholders Warn YPP Guber Candidate

Agunechemba

Stakeholders in Anambra State have issued a stern warning to the Young Progressives Party (YPP) gubernatorial candidate, Sir Paul Chukwuma, over his recent call to disband the state’s grassroots security outfit, Agunechemba.

The stakeholders condemned Sir Chukwuma’s position, describing it as ill-informed and potentially destabilizing. They stated that the community-based security organization has played a critical role in safeguarding lives and property in the state, particularly in periods marked by rampant kidnappings, assassinations, and general insecurity.

In a statement released on Tuesday signed byChief Jude Okoye ,the group accused the YPP candidate of aligning with interests that benefit from insecurity, noting that his call for disbandment came on the heels of a politically sponsored protest against Agunechemba.

They questioned the timing and motives behind his advocacy, interpreting it as a veiled attempt to undermine the security architecture that has brought relative peace to the state.

One of the stakeholders, Chief Jude Okoye, did not mince words in his criticism.

He described Sir Chukwuma as “an attention-seeking politician lacking both credibility and political maturity,” accusing him of capitalizing on controversy rather than presenting a coherent, issue-based campaign agenda.

“It is shameful that someone who was conspicuously silent during the darkest days of violence in Anambra now finds his voice only to attack those who risked their lives to restore peace,” “Agunechemba operatives have been instrumental in restoring public confidence and supplementing the efforts of federal security agencies. To call for their disbandment is to spit in the face of every community that has known relief from terror.”Okoye stated.

The stakeholders also highlighted Chukwuma’s absence from any notable public security engagements during past crises, noting that his sudden emergence as a critic of Agunechemba raises serious questions about his intentions and commitment to public safety.

“Where was he when our people were being kidnapped, when community leaders were being assassinated, and when fear ruled the streets?” “Now that a homegrown initiative is working, he wants it scrapped. It is either gross ignorance or a calculated ploy to weaken the state’s internal security for political gain.”another member queried.

They further cautioned that such rhetoric, if left unchecked, could embolden criminal elements and demoralize the community security personnel who have been at the frontline of ensuring safety across the state.

The statement call for unified political actors to desist from politicizing security, urging them instead to support structures that protect lives and property.