The Siege In Aba Is Real

Nigeria runs an outmoded centralized police force when it should be local and community-based. People know who these hoodlums are and they should have a force to tackle it that they pay for not the federal government.

Cities should have their own police force and they can well afford it if the FGN was not so paranoid about maintaining control. I mean can you tell me that the 800,000 residents of Aba cannot afford a 4,000 man police force (1 policeman per 200 people) each paid around N750,000 a year or about 62,500 naira a month ?

Larger cities like lagos with a budget of $4 billion should be able to afford to pay higher - a police force of 40,000 paid 1.5 million each a year would cost the state government only $400 million in wages or around 10% of its annual budget.

Joe Igbokwe!!!!!!!!!!! Where are you living in? Your writeups is just like the words of cabal that sees one way and do not see any thing bad of his master.
Last week Thursday, BBC showed a documentary of Lagos AREA BOYS, that will tell you every thing you need to know of Lagos state that is not far from a war zone. Criminals decide for the Governor and he has to pay for his dues to them.
Your information is very faked even from your sister.
Police knows what is happening in every city of the world. They operates when you cross boader and naughty. Sometimes they are .............. The best houses and schools should be for every citizen. I agreed with their salaries and clothings. The rest you are a fake write.

I live in Lagos and I know of three unreported cases of kidnapping of residents here and know for a fact that the helicopters and shit that this guy is talking of could not help these people. Even policemen contacted to intervene in one of the cases were so clueless and helpless that the victim's family eventually had to play ball. I cannot make an excuse for Orji or Fashola but the writer of this piece is either a bigot or an idiot, or both. All this talk about Fashola magic is all propaganda. The critical issues of poverty and want still need to be addressed, and Lagos is getting more unliveable by the day with high taxes, poor drains and poor roads.Igbokwe should continue eating his ACN money and leave us to our problems.

This raysflavor comment posted here is so convoluted and his line of thought seem to be totally warped, that my guess is that this brother must been on a huge drug binge.His comments makes no sense at all and for someone who lives in Lagos, trying to APE African American slangs shows how desperately this fellow wants to be like Americans.

Let me tell you bro,those slangs won't get you a good job.There will ask security to walk you away and shut the door behind your lousy immitating ass.That's the problem with some Nigerians, they do not immitate the right stuff.

man...this kinda shit gets u no where..i live in lagos and i knw the shit that happens....dont just stupidly put it to some poeple...pray who has been ruling naija??i served in osun and i knw what happened there..why not just put an individualistic rather than this dumb ass collective blame????better get ur shit right nigga....people like u are the reason ethnic sentiments run so high in naija...go get a life man and channel your energy towards somtyn positive.

I want to thank my name sake Joe Igbokwe for such a beautiful piece.You have not only diagonised the problems facing Aba(Small Japan) but you have also profered some solutions to their problems thru some very classy suggestions. Thank you Joe!This is what we should do as commentators.Come up with great ideas to help our government when their brains are shut down.

It is sad to see that some commentators come on this Holy site to dump insults on people or articles they do not like.There is nothing wrong in venting as long as you can back it up with great ideas towards a meaningful solution to the issues at hand.Ranting like street maniacs on the loose from a psychiatric Institution will not help our discuss.

Having said all these, I need to remind people that Orji Uzor Kalu and his gang of Vandals are the REAL culprits in this Abia matter.This is why:Orji Uzor kalu had a strangle hold on Abia state when he he was Governor, twice.People beleived and had hope in him, only for him to turn out to be one of the greatest CON man, Noise maker and biggest asshole that ever sat on the executive chair in Abia!

Dr T.A. Orji was never actually in power for the last three years in Abia, Orji Uzor Kalu, his mother and cohorts were.This led to T.A.Orji's inability to make decisions as Governor.Orji Uzor Kalu's mother even slapped the Governor when he begged to appoint a few of his own commissioners as Governor!
Even a mere commiossioner under T.A.Orji but appointed by Orji Uzo Kalu went to Abia radio station and announced that the Abia state execute cabinet had been dissolved to the utter shock and dismay of the governor Dr T.A. Orji!! what more prove do you have to see that this man was not in charge at that time!

You remember what happened at the Umuahia Stadium.Orji Uzor kalu was not governor at a time and he was invited to an occassion by Dr T A Orji in order to quell the persistent rumours that both men's relation had gone sour.Orji Uzor Kalu arrives at the occassion with men, all dreesed in black, Ignores the presence the executive Governor who was seated with other guests and went straight to Rant and rave on the microphone like a manic depressive mental patient on the run!

Who are the victims of these political and parasitic sheenanigans in Abia state?Ordinary Abia citizens!With the final acceptance Of Dr T.A. Orji as a bonafide member of the P.D.P., Abia state is gradually enjoying some repreive from these hoodlums as a result of the intervention of the Army.Meanwhile, Orji Uzor Kalu, Akoma and all those creepy street elements who had the keys to Abia State treasury are fighting tooth and nail to get their Cash cow,Abia State back and hence this confusion.Their tactics to render the name Of Dr T.A Orji useless in order to make it possible for them to stage a come back which is not working.

Now they are very desperate.They will do and use anything to create a situation of anarchy in Abia in order to get a state of Emergency declared.It is not working too, Abians can't be fooled or deceived anymore.

The sad situation in all of these saga is that it is always the innocent people of Abia Sate that suffers when these criminals go on the Rampage with their sposored Masters.Abia people must come out swinging now that President Jonathan has the ears and eyes of Abians thru Dr.T. A. Orji.

They must report all cases of illegal activities like cutting off peopls heads for Rituals, Kidnapping camps, Armed robbery and even go as far as banning cult activities in our colleges and Universities.These places are the breeding grounds for these people becos unemployment and kidnapping go hand in hand.An Idle hand they say is the devils workshop.

The security operatives must keep their eyes on the activities of Orji Uzor Kalu and all his disgruntled elements who are so Mad because they lost Abia to the P.D.P.

Aba is a city that serves and trades with people from other countries like Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana but to mention a few.The great economic significance and revenue generating value cannot be overemphasised.Bring back Aba of yester yrs to it's former glory. Get rid of criminal polticians who are willing to destabilise peoples lives and their way of making an honest living for the sake of their selfish,Blind, visionless political ambition.The fight must go on everyday until victory is finally won.God Bless Abia, God's Own State!!!

All u fuckers glorifying T A Orji and K A Orji,May God punish you and your generations,May you die a shameful death.May your generations be cursed.Because of money you open your stinking mouth you used to suck your mama's tits to praise these two.Oh only God can forgive you and your co-horts.

Jeo Igbokwe, Thanks for telling them the truth.But General Rommel of the Colombian Rebel group thinks otherwise. Hear him, (It is rumoured that these Men are mostly elements that were not absorbed in the Niger Delta Amnesty programmes or say the Criminal elements of the Niger Delta strugle.) Meaning what? That the criminals in Abia state were imported into the South East, by Ateke Tom and co or what? Perhaps it was MEND that made it possible for Orji Kalu to become the governor of Abia state. Who knows? Just may be.

@ AUCitizen

Although I’m not an Easterner and I do appreciate the complain of my brethrens from the east, I will tell the story of my experience in the east to prove that AU citizen is totally wrong and the contributions of our brethrens from the east to their predicaments can not be neglected.

For my recent youth service (NYSC); I was posted to Adamawa State and after the orientation camp training, I was returning from the north through Onitsha to the West. My Journey from Yola was a wonderful experience until I got to Onitsha. Apparently basking in the genuineness and kindness of the northern people, I thought the whole country was like that and my urge to know the country was suddenly awakened like a plague, and that was in fact the main reason I travelled through the East in the first place.

We got to Onitsha at about 6.00o’clock in the evening and without suspecting anything, I casually asked the driver at the bus parked in the garage where we disembarked where I could take the next bus/vehicle to Akure. As I will come to realise later, he deliberately misled me to a wrong bus going to Lagos (his own bus) and I without any doubt whatsoever promptly sat in the bus and they immediately came to me to ask for the transport fare which I duly paid.

Later as I sat in the bus, another ‘copper’ came inn and she was quite conversant with the east and she sat next to me and during our discussion, she told me the bus was going to Lagos and I was to say the least quite surprised and I went to the driver to ask him if he heard that I told him I was going to Akure and that he should refund my money so I can take the correct vehicle to Akure.

To my utter amazement, he heaped the blame on me for asking him for the directions where Akure vehicles normally parked and he bluntly refused to refund my money. No amount of pleadings or persuasions from me could make him change his mind. I was later to learn that that was their ‘modular operandi’ and once they collect your fees, one never gets it back. Yes, I must admit that my naivety may have contributed to my experience, but I couldn’t understand why we must put ourselves through such unnecessary pain.

The scenario described above is very, very unlikely to happen in the north or the west. If our brethrens in the east reduce their aggression level, the crime levels will correspondingly decrease and then development will naturally follow and the ingenuity of the people will be unleashed which will in turn benefit the whole nation.

My advise to the State Governments in Eastern Nigeria is to come together & poll funds for the porpose of Securing lives. Individualistic approach may not yield the desired results as most of these States may not be able to generate enough funds like Lagos State to enable them replicate the Lagos approach. With many inaccessable terrain in the East, the Surviving members of these Criminal gangs will simply relocate to softer grounds accross State Boundaries to carry out worse attacks. It is rumoured that these Men are mostly elements that were not absorbed in the Niger Delta Amnesty programmes or say the Criminal elements of the Niger Delta strugle. So, they are highly mobile & a static approach should not be the way to counter this crime. The Eastern Governments need to aquire up to date Maps of their region for the purpose of planning & Security. Lagos & Ogun States did something similar thru some foreign help using aerial survey. The Governments need to acquire Fixed & Rotary Wing light Aircrafts used by Police in developed Countries with Cameras & Scanners for monitoring remote areas in day & night, they could also be used to assis Law enforcements as the eye in the Sky during patrol & combat operations. Modern Command & Control Communication System need to be deployed to link all formations, Mobile Units & the general public. Armoured vehicles need to be with 30 Mins reach from most strategic locations whenever back up is called for by the Police. Enough Police vehicles need to be aquired, Police Welfare needs improved upon, Improved facility in Courts & Prision accomodation expanded . Lots of the Police personell need to be transfered too to bring in new ideas & remove those who have ties with Criminals. There must be strict & tough application of the Law as Younger generations in Nigeria seem to have a different ideas of the Law & its interpretation. Most importantly, long term solution is to build good Education System in Primary & Secondary level and encourage Ibo youths to stay in school instead of the culture of informal trades apprentiship system that makes getting Money a do or die affair.

Mr. Igbokwe, your comments on this issue is well received and very informative. I support the State Police but they have to be totally independent from the executive. The governor may appoint the state commissioner on a contract basis and can only relieve him of his position if he violated any terms of the contract. The commissioner and his officers should have the rights and powers to investigate the governor and his cabinet without hinderance. Also, the Police force should be allowed to make money independently to complement the budget allocation to them. In this instance, they should sell all their barracks and allow officers to live in the communities. The money generated will help in no small measures to alleviate the sufferings of the officers.The so-called top politicians who marshall officers to accompany them to functions or other sundry matters should pay money for these services to the Police department. Police officers should be trained on how to issue citations and tickets to unruly drivers and efforts should be devoted towards recording and tracking payments from the culprits. Police departments should set up and develop training workshops and seminars to teach residents on safety issues, dog training, firearm handling. They should be able to charge the participants for these services. In general, if the Police Force is geared towards the path of generating income, they will be able to pay their officers very well and they will be competent in crime prevention. Public institutions all over the world from universities, police, social services, courts all generate revenues independently in order to enhance their operations. Without being independent, state police will be doomed.

It is a worrisome situation and an eye opener that we have not yet developed our politics and governance in the south east. This also goes to convince me that the south east is not prepared to return to governance in Nigeria.
I am from Abia state, I have watched read and heard comments from my sibbling at home. Our situation in Aba and Abia in general is like the book "Cry my beloved country".
I agree with all the comments calling T.A a weakling, and would want to add that he is equally visionless. I don't know about this writer trying to exhounorate him and paint him a deliverer of Abians, probably a paid stooge.
From my record and information, T.A is equally building a personal empire for himself and family through Abian's funds. What about the chains of filling station in Umuahia town that is claimed to belong to his 23yrs old son. The only area we see road network and any sign of build up is Ibeku his village.
Aba has for so long remained the only city to mention when you speak of Abia state. There is a vast area of land along ohafia/Abriba axis that can be turned into a mega city for Abians. One of the tributaries of the Niger passed through Abriba and we can develop an Inland port there. Abians are enterprising yet we cannot boast of 3 solid hours of electricity per day. What do you want the indigens of Aba and neighbouring towns and villages to work with. Aba is over congested.
Like I have said to my friends here in Abuja, OUK used Abia funds to play ball and put his mother on global limelight, T.A. has equally towed the line of his evil master. I weep for Abia. I hope those left at home will be man enough to sack from government any name that has to do with this two individuals come 2011.
Let the Aba seige go on it probably we be an eye opener for those of us from other parts of the state to go back home and develop our land. Aba people want their land and inheritance lets give it to them.

 I wonder what Frankwilliams ( fake name i guess) will gain from calling out Joe Igbokwe. Here is a lady known to reasonable Nigerians as a real fighter regardless of her gender. She is at the fore front each time there is a call to put up a fight for real democracy. An igbo lady married to Yinka Odumakin, a yoruba man who also is a strong activist with track records. As vocal as she is not many people seem to believe Joe Igbokwe is a lady and they refer to her as "my brother, he, him etc" because they think only men can do what she does. Frankwilliams i think you need to appreciate this lady rather than calling her a liar simply because she stands for the truth. Let's call a spade, a spade. The security situation in Aba is unbecoming and all the stake holders should step up their game before the president is forced to invoke the emergency clause that will see a military takeover  and definitely "marginalization" will then be the new song you'll be singing.

Joe, my brother, you have hit the nail on the head. We do not need to go to the moon to decipher the problems of Abia State nay the south-east. A combination of factors must of which you have clearly posited. The saying goes that a society deserves the leader it gets. The solution to our problems in the south east, in the final analysis, lies in the hands of the south-easterners. If we say no to rogues in the polity, if we say no to brigandage, if we say no to bad governance, l can guarantee you that things will begin to change. Unfortunately, all the people masquerading about as our leaders in the south east are all birds of the same feather so they flock together. They are all cultists and rogues in power. Nothing good can come from them. If we allow them we will continue to languish. May be this medium will give us a means to start the change process, to start a salient revolution that will ultimately usher in a new generation of leaders who are visionary, God-fearing, principled and willing to serve God's own people in truth and in spirit. God bless Nigeria.

My brother, Joe, you raised the alarm of insecurity and how to solve the problem in Aba and South east and your views are well noted. But we do not have to bring in the military in order to ensure protection of life and property in the region. Likewise, buying three helicopters and the like will not solve the problem.

The fact is that we borrowed the United States costly presidential system of government and that is all our pseudo and mask-covered leaders saw good in America to copy because the system gives them the immediate opportunity to line their pockets with huge salaries and allowances. Your leaders do not care for security and that includes your leaders, past and present. There was a police service reform committee led by M. D. Yusuf that concluded their deliberations recently. One thing they suggested was that henceforth the IGP should be on merit and no high ranking police officer should be dismissed or discharged unless he or she is found guilty of acts bordering on criminalty. No sooner did this committee hand over their report to Mr. Jonathan, that your 'bolekaja' leader in one fell swoop saw to the exit of not less than 10 senior police officers by his appointment of a relatively junior officer to become the IGP. The rest of his seniors, very experienced officers, were therefore forced to retire. Thus, your leaders, commencing from your No. 1, have no interest of the nation at heart. He is thinking of the best way for him to utilize the Police to actualize his selfish goal of winning the Presidential election in 2011. That is all that matters to him!

Policing anywhere is systematic, deliberate, proactive and not haphazard as it is done in Nigeria. Effective policing is simply INTELLIGENCE GATHERING (33.33%)+ DATA COMPILATION (33.33%)+ INVESTIGATION/ACTION (33.33%) = EXPECTED RESULT ACHIEVED (100%). In Nigeria of today, there is nothing like intelligence gathering or data compilation not to talk about investigation. How then do you expect kidnapping to stop?

In the United States, you do not see police check points anywhere; that is archaic and primitive policing. A Police station or unit covers a certain jurisdictional area. In intelligence gathering, the Police will gather data of the persons, I mean all the adults, from age 18 to 100 years, in that area; note the kind of work they do; where they work; how they play; etc. They then compile the data. In the United States, if a certain crime is reported, the Police know the database to check for the possible perpetrators. Police work is simply commonsense, but in Nigeria, commonsense has simply deserted your leaders.

We have been told that a certain OSISIKANWU is the man terrorizing Aba. Now, does this man live in a cave and even if he lives in one, why is it difficult for the Police to penetrate the cave using enhanced intelligence methods? I have suggested to Mr. Onovo on SR that he can eradicate kidnapping by raising a crack intelligence unit of about 100 policemen/women. Part of their job will be to penetrate the rank and file of the kidnappers and with the intelligence information they gather, the Police will round them up. I doubt that there is any such Unit of the police solely working in the area of gathering information to reduce the rate of kidnapping in the country.

The same lackadaisical attitude of the so-called leaders was evident when cultism reaped its ugly head in our colleges and universities until it gradualy festered and degenerated to murdering lecturers. Now, some good lecturers are out of the country. I am yet to hear that any of the perpetrators of cult activities and the subsequent killing has been prosecuted and found guilty.

The United States is what it is today because it is an ideas-driven country. When there is a problem, the leaders sit on a roundtable and marshall ideas how to solve the problem. Whatever is decided is implemented. Nigerian leaders do not care; they are 'my-belle driven leaders'. Having the military perambulating our streets and roads with AK-47 rifles in peace time is not policing. It is simply a state of emergency, of war!

Another aspect you pointed out is the poor remuneration of the police. In my four visits to Abuja in 2009 and on four different occasions when I was compeled to go by taxi, I found out that the drivers were policemen! Each complained to me that they are trying to make ends meet because their salary per month is about N15,000.00. My brother, that is US$100.00, a month!! Thus, it is apparent that owing to their poor remuneration, some unscrupulous policemen connive with these kidnappers and allow them easy movement to cause damage in the society. The kidnappers then return to 'settle' them thereafter.

Whether you have state police or national police, if you do not pay the police living wages, they would become second-string of criminals because they have to at least fend for themselves and their family.

Nigeria has about 500,000 men and women in the police. That number is sufficient. What remains is to improve their salaries; equip and train them in modern policing: intelligence gathering; data compilation of every indices of the adult population; and investigations and you begin to see them work. If Police utilize modern technology in their work, you do not have to see a single check point on any road in Nigeria. Let our leaders be serious, at least in the matter of eradicating this cankerworm -kidnapping.

ABIA AND IMO GOVERNORS MUST NOT BE ALLOWED BY THE PDP LEADERSHIP TO CONTEST FOR RE-ELECTION. BAD LEADERSHIP EXAMPLES BY BOTH MEN ARE WHY KIDNAPPERS HAVE MULTIPLIED IN THESE TWO STATES. HOW LONG SHALL SOLDIERS STAY THERE? BEFORE LONG, THE SOLDIERS SHALL BE CORRUPTED AND LEARN THE TRADE OF KIDNAPPING. ASIDE THE MEND ACTIVITIES, KIDNAPPINGS IN STATES NEIGHBOURING IMO AND ABIA ARE FALLOUTS FROM THE POLITICAL AND SOCIAL DECADENCE IN THESE TWO STATES. ALLOWING THESE TWO GOVERNORS WHO UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES CANNOT WIN ANY ELECTIONS NOW IN THEIR STATES TO RIG THEMSELVES TO POWER AGAIN IS PROPLONGING THEIR PEOPLE'S PROBLEMS.

why has things degenerated to this level in almost all the south eastern states.Education,health,security and many more has detoriated to an abysmal low level. The height of criminality in these states has risen to an all high.Who will save these states from this gigantum plague.The Igbo people both home and abroad should join hands and do something about this menace or else they will wake up one day and discover that their once cherished homeland has turned to a den only fit for criminals.

You can speculate whatever you like but everybody living in Aba knows that Gov T.A. Orji is the chief sponsor of kidnapping. Abians are waiting for him at the polling booths if only Jonathan will allow our votes to count!

While Sene is right about the devilish and satanic nature of Igbo 'rulers' today, who can compare the clownish satans we have now with the likes of Sir Louis Mbanefo, Mbadiwe, Akanu Ibiam, Louis Phillipe Ojukwu & his son, Nnanna Kalu, Mbakwe, Okpara, etc?
However, what's happening in the east is neglect by the federal govt pure and simple. Not just that, we're all paying reparations for the war that ended 40 years ago. The troops and police from other parts of the country are extorting money from Igbos on a minute by minute basis. They don't keep law and order. Criminals are armed. When a trader goes to market, he loses up to 90% of his takings in tolls and bribes before he gets home. This is the situation once you cross the Niger bridge until you get to the eastern borders of Abia and northern borders of Ebonyi. Is this fair?
You're driving in the east, a soldier or police jumps out in front of your car, when you drive off thinking it's armed robbers, your car is sprayed with bullets. Many dress in plain clothes as they want to trick motorists into getting themselves shot. Aba used to be an industrial heartland. I used to go there in the school holidays to help my uncles with accounts & other paperwork (those that couldn't read but were brilliant traders). Aba was a happening place. Now, it's a war zone. And the entire federal govt have refused to do up the roads in the entire Abia and rest of the east. This is why I've realised this idea of Nigeria is a joke. For as long as Igbos remain in this rotten country, they'd never move forward. It's like a collective attack and we've all responded by running away from our own land. Even in Lagos (Igbokwe should know this) when stalls are demolished in the name of cleaning up the city, who's stalls are demolished? It's ALWAYS those of the Igbo traders even when others are trading in the same circumstances.
Why do we have the sort of governors who belong in zombie movies? Because they have been installed and set up to fail the entire region.
We should stop fooling ourselves about this Nigeria business. There's no need for fighting or a war. Simply prepare a case for the ICJ. The evidence is there for the criminal treatment of the east and this joke of no victor no vanquished. Where soldiers on one side were rehabilitated, and those at Oji River left to starve. Many ended up with mental illnesses and untreated and now infest the east as criminals, rapists and kidnappers.
Any Igbo with half a brain should realise the case for getting an independent and autonomous state away from people who are genetically programmed to hate us.

THEY KNOW ALL THESE BOYS..THEY WORK FOR THEM..IGBO PEOPLE HAVE SUFFERED IN THE HANDS OF THIS FAMILY AND THEIR ASSOCIATES..

Yes, we know that Orji Uzor Kalu and his family are bad. But please stop using this medium to sell the unsellable T.A Orji - he is simply a bad market, a liability to the core. You can not make him any better by telling us what we have suspected or known about Orji Uzor Kalu.
T.A. Orji worked hand in hand with Uzor Kalu to bleed Abia State and bring Abia to her knees. T.A Orji is as guilty as Orji Kalu.

true talk my brother,dat man T A is an embarassment to manhood.we r talking about insecurity whn there is no infrastructure on ground not to talk of security.he became the liberator whn he realised that the kalu's will not give him a second chance.the same T A orji rigged election for orji kalu and stayed wit him for 11 yrs.nw he has suddnly realised he is evil...it is true dat orji kalu is a disaster,only God kws wat to do wit him.i was disapointed wit president jonathern when i saw him in umuahia raising the hands of T A orji who is a complete failure.a man that cannot hide his hatred for the ngwa man who is part of his state.a man who took over a whole street and built a casttel for him self and his children.there are no roads in aba not to talk of water.owerri is very close to aba yet look at wat aba has become.the only existing roads in aba are the ones built by sam mbakwe of the then imo state.i weep for abia,i wonder y God has decided to purnish us with demons as leaders

that is what you are good for, Fhasola joint military patrol in Lagos, liar is joe surname

It was a common knowledge to everyone that T A Orji was taken to Okija to take an oth at the famous Okija shirine to be loyal, faithful and honest to Orji Kalu, Now he did not keep his own part of the bargin, the devil is now after him and his state.
UN peace force combined with AU force cannot save ABIA STATE.
The only thing that will save Abia State is the removal of that sick, weak and demonic governor.
Thesame goes to Ikedi Ohakim who pledge to be faithful loyal and honest to OBJ ,ARTHUR NZERIBE, HOPE UZODINMA AND ACHIKE UDENWA, Now the relationship with Udennwa is getting sore, the devil has entered into him that he dont mind being a supervisour to the flogging and nakeding of a catholic prist.
What do we call all this ? DEVIL AT WORK. South east beware of T A ORJI, IKEDI OHAKIM. The one at Anambra who talks like a woman is also very weak governor. The only governor in the whole of sout east is Enugu state governor, though I have not been at Enugu for a long time but some people that went there confirm that he is do his job OK. Who said good market does not sell itself???

This man has a pact with the devil in Okija, the state is in bondage.There can be no progress until either he leaves office or delivered from the oat that put him in office. Deliverance from that oat means he has to relinquish his position.
He continuous stay in office exposes the indigenes of the state to very evil influence.

Unfortunatly my brother our politicians started all of this, they were organizing area boys to deal with opponents and now this has spread to a wild fire that they cannot control as they are still using these boys for political purposes. My neighbor is from Abia and everytime he wants to visit his elderly mother in Nigeria, he had to make arrangement for his brother to bring her to Lagos so he can spend time with her. Last year things have deterioted as the 83 year old elderly woman was kidnap in her own house and in broad day light. Her children had to negociate her release from 20 million to 9 million naira (due to the incident, her son had to close his private practice that he work most of his life to achieve), after her release they relocate her to live with one of her son's in Abuja. So imagine how our people can stoop so low that our elderly are no longer safe.

I think deploying the troops to the region is long overdue, but a good start. Also our police need a serious overhaul, sometime one might think they are hand in hand with these kidnappers but then again they are no match to these hoodlums on arsenals, strategies, etc...

God bless you my brother for your beautiful writeup.The issue of hoodlum taking over Aba is a very serious matter.Aba is one of the commercial nerve center of south East,but it now making history as on of the most deadliest to inhabit in.This is a serious matter.The mistery of the change should be investigated.All eye must focus on this people mentioned in your piece.politicians don't want to go down alone.The security agencies should take a look at them to unravel what is behind the mayhem.lost of lives and the most insulting the raping of women.

TEARS OF A MASTER – STRATEGIST; THE RELIEF OF ABIANS

As a school boy and a cob journalist – on training, we were often told to recite the popular saying that “in” journalism, some truths must not be told”. This aphorism soon became contradictory, senseless and self – serving when we came across a more populist one that told us, at all times and in all situations, you must serve the public good and say the truth without minding whose ox is gored”. I have decided to draw the distinctions above to find justification for the revelations in my own estimation and in pursuit of the universal principle of upholding the truth would definitely serve the public interest, especially Abians who had been hoodwinked for several years into believing that the strategist means well for them.

I have gone through the book, “the master strategist” and came to the utter conclusion that he the gods want to kill, they first of all make deaf. Otherwise, the book is a recitation of evil strategist of one man who took glory in regarding iniquities in his heart. Otherwise, Abians would have known that a man who prides himself as having his way even with criminals should not have been trusted with their collective wealth in the first instance. OUK, recollected how in one of his cheap – popularity seeking ventures at Eyimba Stadium; a known criminal at the Columbia stand (spot for criminals and miscreant that do drugs and narcotic at Enyimba stadium). He called the boy with strong instruction for him to return a friends missing car the next day. True to the bandits boast to his collogues that big boss says the car must be returned tomorrow, OUK’s fried vehicle was found. This is an account that he proudly relayed in print, if only to justify his mastery of criminals and criminal tendencies. It was the same primary and aggregated thievery that he applied and for well over ten years, held Abians spell bound, applied white wash kind of administration were what you see is what you get; worked in concert with his ageless mother and siblings to loot Abia red. He continued funding these boys through Akomas connection as a deputy governor that was paying her mother N30m (Thirty million naira every month) for him to be used as replacement to T.A Orji after eight year record as a governor. Akomas when he was his commissioner was arraigned in umuahia high courth for gun running. Today his boys are everywhere doing kidnapping and armed robbery.

We would be bothering Abians with facts already known if we repeat that the smokescreen he called successes in Abia have since fizzled out. Thanks to the truth. It is like a calabash gourd dipped inside water. No matter how hard you try to suppress, it must resurface. The truth resurfaced recently at a gathering in Igbere, were OUK himself decried how his empire has crumbled. He almost narrowed his blame to his younger brother. Hon. Nnanna Uzor Kalu; a member of the House of Representative who OUK foisted on Abians in place of an articulate, God – fearing and better candidate Chief Mrs. Blessing Nwagba. According to OUK, Nnanna is probably why all he has labored (?) for years have crumbled like a pack of cards within days.

Many, I am sure did not know that OUK has a younger brother who is representing Aba North/Aba south Federal constituency at the National Assembly, the House of Representatives to be precise. Nnanna is basically a sitting duck and Chairman committee on the deaf and dumb. He was awarded this flowery title because of all the years he has spent in the National Assembly, he had neither originated nor contributed to one single bill. Nnanna simply collects sleeping allowance from the National Assembly as each time tv camera captures him, he would be seen sleeping. Reason? He is OUK’s greatest mistake and a great minus to the so called political dynasty.

However, what Nnanna lost in quality representation, he gained in representing his family in the quest to control virtually everything in Abia. As soon as OUK left the stage as Governor of Abia State, Nnanna became his inward looking eye with which he sought to maneuver Abians and their resources. Nnanna would hardly stay in the National Assembly as he runs to Abia every other week to supervise his family’s personal business which Abia State was.
To tell you the senseless and poor reasoning of the Uzor Kalus, they had an unwritten agreement that Abia State would be shared amongst the three major players in the family, OUK, Nanna and their power drunk mother Odiukonamba. They however failed to realize that evil triumphs for a while. It never occurred to them that in no distant time, that Abians would see them as Egyptians who would go into irredeemable oblivion at God’s time.

Let us go back to the Igbere stakeholders meeting. While OUK rued the loss of Abia State and why he tried to sacrifice Nanna may be for scuttling his chances of holding on with Ochendo, a thought flashed in mind. When Gov. Ikedi Ohakim of Imo state concluded plans to dump OUK’s PPA for PDP, there were speculations that OUK would retire Ohakim prematurely in politics. He was touted to have mapped out enduring formulae to ensure that Ohakim pays dearly for dumping him preference of the ruling PDP. Two years on, Ohakim is still calling the shots at Imo while he saves a whooping Seventy Million Naira Monthly (70,000.000) which was what was giving to OUK monthly from the state coffers. So, OUK was not attacking Ohakim based on ideological shift or strict principles. He was mourning the loss of millions which Ohakim PPA Governorship guaranteed him in Imo. Otherwise, OUK had no business with the welfare of Imolites and would not care a hoot if they were impoverished or not. The same scenario has played out in Abia. If he blames Nnanna for loosing Abia, who would he blame for loosing Imo? God simply at work. By his word, we know that he that keepeth Israel neither sleeps nor slumbers. Abians and Imolites are called by His name and He is faithful and just to retrieve them from the shackles of wickedness. Come with me; let me lead you into the untold story of how OUK and his family planned to hold Abians hostage for at least fifty years. Let me tell us briefly why OUK may suffer eternal hurt. T.A Orji did not look him like a personality who would one day take the path of honor to denounce his family’s strategies of annihilation. Hate, looting and dehumanization of Abians. Ochendo painstakingly followed them to a logical conclusion as though he knew their evil machinations. He waited patiently for them to have a change of heart and honor the social contract they had with Abians. T.A Orji played along for over three years, believing that when you wait upon Gods time, your strength shall be renewed. If you think what he did by denouncing OUK and his team of cannibalists was all about second – term, then you do not know the Abia story. God simply used him to halt a programme designed to leave Abians in eternal penury and advance the cause of one family that accumulate too much for one man to handle during his generation. God used T.A to obstruct a life – time programme of recklessness; designed to strip Abians of their collective heritage and used to finance an imaginary political dynasty to the advantage of one family.

While T.A waited upon the lord, OUK depended on Abian’s lean and embarrassingly meager resources to service his business empire. Even with the global economic meltdown, OUK chains of businesses thrived and did not bother to cut their staff or other budgets because at the end of every month, he received One Hundred and Twenty Million naira (120,000.000) from Abia State government. It was a standing order and did not need monthly approvals. If you are wondering what somebody would be doing with that huge amount when majority of Abians lacked basic amenities, I tell you.

Orji’s Camp Neya mansion at Igbere, his country home has a total of seventy (70) administrative and domestic staff. There are at least thirty – six (36) suites representing the 36 states of the Federation. In the camp, you will also find presidential Suites designed to taste for all former Head of States of Nigeria. This is in addition to a world class golf club, lawn tennis court, swimming pool and a

Conference room. Recall that he had nonce tried and failed to host a CAF meeting in his conference Hall. This is to tell you the quality of facilities in that camp built with stolen funds. That huge edifice needs so much money to remain alive. Again, Orji needs money to revive his ailing businesses and service the non-performing one billion naira loan he collected from Access bank, so that if there is anything like meltdown, it will be felt in Abia; the state that was under his siege and that of his family members.
OUK was not satisfied with the millions he receive monthly. He made sure too that he had a majority take in the decision of who were going to be commissioners and local Government Chairmen. While he shared proceeds from Commissioners with Nnenna, their mother pocketed majority stake in allowance to seventeen Local Government areas in Abia State. It was therefore painful to observe that his family did not spare any single source of revenue in Abia. They were everywhere, from board membership to the highest post in the state. If you want to have an idea of what I am saying, go check out any person that serves as a Commissioner or Local Government Chairman in Abia between 1999 and April 2010, you will see poverty in action. In recent times, people had criticized the amount of money politicians take at the detriment of development needs. Not in Abia, they do not take home nothing, they account to one family such that neither the state nor the appointee or elected person goes home with anything. It was that bad.
If any one of them was lucky to have braved the situation and made a little more than they programmed for him, the fellow pays dearly for it. Their mother, who is the sole giver of power then, would lure him into contesting a juicy elective position. That would be your end because they had only one motive which is to strip you of your resources and bring you back to your knees, so that you will serve them and take an oath of perpetual allegiance.
While the party lasted, Nnanna carried on like the crown prince of the Wales. He did not hide disrespect for the sitting Governor. May be because the Commissioners and Local Government Chairmen were his family’s making, he carried on with them in so much a reckless manner. Severally in state functions, he walked in with over seven key Commissioners to the utmost charging of the Governor and other guests seated. He was able to breach protocols because apart from thinking the state belonged to them, T.A. Orji was overbearingly tolerant. His tolerance paid off. Abians had the last laugh. Today owing to the ingenuity of T.A. Orji, Nnenna and his co- conspirators that held Abians spell bound have returned to where they belong – oblivion.
Not just Nnanna, their mother was a big torn in the flesh of the state. Here was a woman whose personal security compete or even out – numbered that of the sitting Governor. She moves around the state with the longest convoy and still had enough to take his two adopted daughters to school. If you see the long security guards and convoy that convey two seven years old to school, you will weep for Abia. She was untouchable and humiliated the small and the mighty. I have always had a heart of forgiven this woman for her age and most level of education. I say this because her style smacks of absolute ignorance and bereft of sound moral etiquettes. I understand she did not go to even primary school

Here was a woman who made other women to abandon their husbands and family members to pay obeisance to her. The only thing these women would have to show for their long years of enslavement is the number of songs they composed in her name. Her house was the Government House, while that at umuahia where the sitting Governor, was simply an annex. Local Government Chairmen ran to her after joint Allocation Committee (JAC) meetings. She milked them dry and singularly strangulated development in these council. Today, Abians are free. They would be assured that even in the smallest measure, local governments will start to cater for their needs. If there is nothing, Abians would soon begin to see the dividends of what Ochendo would have saved for the state after denouncing them. We shall also wait to see in coming weeks and months, how far the dynasty would go bearing in mind that the two states from where they fathered their nests have broken lose.
Ohakim started it in Imo, Ochendo followed suit. In the larger political arena, the Uzor- Kalu led by their strategist son and brother is fast losing weight. It will not be long before Nigerians; especially Abians will begin to appreciate why the strategist, feels hurt and is looking for whom to blame from his many woes. Don’t forget, the Masi death is still hanging on his neck like the sword of Damocles. There are strong indication too that his links with IBB may eventually be connected to the twin Oct 1 bomb blasts in Abuja. While we wait, Abians should roll the carpets for quality celebration because the battle is over.

Joe,
Perhaps the most important lesson in why security is a given in Lagos is that Lagos, unlike many states of Nigeria, does not claim one ethnicity or tribe, just like the United States. Aba, unfortunately, is an example of the kind of lawlessness that can ensue when a state falls into the grip of a minority of people who feel no social, moral and intellectual responsibility to advance the cause of civilization and human enterprise.

When white people see us talking about Africa, they think we all 1 big happy family.
When will our people realize that their actions are felt globally. They are reducing the investment in their own city just to make a fast buck..chasing out doctors,lawyers, businesses.
Policing in the 21st century is about forensics, Kidnapping was 1 of the 1st crimes the FBI wiped out: The kidnapper has to contact the victim's family on GSM which can be tracked...they take d cash physically, which can b e also tracked.....how come the local security agencies ain't doing S**t?
2011..one man, one vote