As Anambra State slides into a resurgence of kidnapping, killing and other criminal activities by Unknown Gun Men (UGM), a group under the aegis of Anambra Security Network (ASN) has decried the poor treatment of operatives of the Anambra Vigilant Group (AVG), community-based men and women who help the Police and other security agencies in the maintenance of peace and security across the State.
The AVG also urged Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo to use at least only one month security vote “running into billions of naira” to address ongoing security challenges in the State.
President of ASN, Colonel Jude Obi (rtd), in a statement in Awka, the State capital, ccalled on the Anambra State government and wealthy Anambrarians to encourage the members of AVG by paying them good salary.
Colonel Obi said that presently, AVG operatives are paid N100,000 each, which they claimed is extremely too small considering the harsh economic situation of the country and the risk associated with their job.
The group said that AVG operatives “salary should be increased to N200,000 to N300,000 each or more so that it can go a long way to ameliorate the prevailing economic hardship, saying that N100, 000 cannot buy anything now including a bag of rice.”
The group also called for the equipping of the security outfits with new operational vehicles and since most of the ones they are now using are obsolete and have been damaged by tear and wear.
The Security Network said that AVG has been doing a lot in containing high profile crime in the State and most of them have lost their lives and to encourage them to do more they should be provided with necessary materials such as arms and ammunition.
The government should provide incentives and platform for insurance to protect them in the case of death or fatal lacerated injuries
The group also called for the retraining of the AVG operatives for efficient and effective operation, saying that those of them working hard to catch criminals and recover arms and ammunition should be compensated as a way of encouraging them to do more.
They warned that if on or before October 2024 their monthly salary were not reviewed upwards, the AVG operatives will definitely embark on withdrawal protests to attract government attention to their present economic predicaments,
ASN advised the Governor to immediately create Ogbunka-Umunze sector, Agulu-Nanka-Umuchu sector, Ogbaru-Ugwuanocha sector, Azia-Lilu sector and Otuocha-Anam sector to finally checkmate the resurgence of criminal activities, wondering how few ragtag criminals will be unleashing terror and fear to residents of the State.