Yulitude: The Agunechemba Effect and Anambra’s Great Homecoming

Prince ken Emekayi

The volume of vehicular traffic conveying commuters into Anambra State during the Yuletide season was unprecedented, as families from far and near, across the country, returned en masse to their ancestral homes.
For many communities, the scene was one not witnessed in several years.
In the recent past, however, the mere thought of returning home for Christmas and New Year celebrations sent cold shivers down the spines of many Anambra indigenes.
The pervasive insecurity of lives and property made homecoming a terrifying prospect.
As a result, many people would halt their journeys in Awka, Onitsha, or neighbouring states to celebrate the season, opting instead to send money to relatives back home.
In fact, some families discouraged their loved ones from visiting at all, out of fear of kidnapping or outright murder by deadly criminal elements popularly described as “unknown gunmen.”
The atmosphere of fear was so intense that communities became deserted during festive periods that once symbolised unity, joy, and cultural pride.
This grim reality began to change exactly one year ago when the Anambra State Government established and launched the Udo Ga Chi Security Operations, a comprehensive security framework comprising the eight service commanders in the state, alongside local vigilante groups. This outfit is now popularly known as the Agunechemba Security Squad.
Heading the operational command of this security architecture is Chief Chinenye Ihenko, popularly known as Okpompi, who serves as the Director of Operations. Under his leadership, the Agunechemba Security Squad has recorded achievements previously considered unattainable in the fight against insecurity in Anambra State.
Ahead of the last Christmas and New Year celebrations, no fewer than 550 suspected gunmen were either arrested or neutralised during coordinated operations by the squad. In addition, about seventy-five criminal camps were discovered and dismantled—an unprecedented feat in the state’s security history.
In the past, access to intelligence was extremely difficult. Providing information to security agencies was almost a death sentence, as informants were often watched, tracked, and brutally eliminated. Many paid the ultimate price through agonising deaths. Trust even within families eroded, as homes were infiltrated by informants working for criminal gangs.
Today, that narrative has changed significantly. Owing to the superlative performance of the Agunechemba Security Squad, President-Generals, traditional rulers, and other community leaders now freely and confidently provide sensitive intelligence, complete with their names and phone numbers.
At the Agunechemba Security Lion House, activities are at a peak, resembling a beehive, as more suspected marauders are arrested and made to face the long arm of the law.
Nonetheless, the operations have not come without heavy sacrifices. Operatives have faced fatal attacks, sustained gunshot wounds, and endured severe wear and tear of operational vehicles and security equipment. Some personnel have spent months in hospitals recovering from injuries sustained in the line of duty, underscoring the hazardous nature of their assignment.
Although Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo has placed the fight against insecurity as a first-line charge of his administration, allegations of internal rivalry within the outfit pose a potential threat to its continued success.
Reports suggest that some members of the leadership are allegedly entangled in supremacy struggles over authority and recognition, with moves to unseat one another.
Such parallel loyalties, observers warn, mirror the internal crises that once crippled the Bakassi Boys during the Mbadinuju administration. There have also been allegations bordering on unpaid salaries, delayed entitlements, and welfare challenges.
Reacting to these claims, the Publicity Secretary of the Agunechemba Security Squad, Mr. Nweke Nweke, dismissed the allegations, stating that his office is unaware of any such dangerous developments.
“Agunechemba Security Squad is the pet project of Governor Charles Soludo, and he is doing everything possible to ensure the operatives are adequately equipped, both materially and in terms of welfare. I challenge anyone making such claims to bring proof,” he said.
He further explained that payment delays were linked to non-compliance with the newly introduced e-payment system.
“Some personnel are yet to fully comply with the new e-payment platform. We are working with the banks to resolve these issues, and significant progress has already been made,” he added.
For Chief Chinenye Ihenko (Okpompi), the story of Agunechemba is one of courage, sacrifice, and measurable accomplishments. As the fight against insecurity continues, many believe that sustained support, unity of purpose, and renewed motivation will further strengthen the squad’s capacity to restore lasting peace across Anambra State.