The 2023 Labour Party governorship candidate in Imo State, Senator Athan Achonu, has condemned the recent spate of deadly attacks across several communities in the state, describing the assaults as barbaric and intolerable, while calling on government and security agencies to act with speed and determination.
Achonu’s stance was contained in a statement issued by his media adviser, Mr Chibuikem Onyeukwu, and shared with journalists in Owerri on Sunday.
According to police reports, no fewer than seven people lost their lives on Thursday when gunmen struck three communities in Ideato North Local Government Area.
Labelling the attacks “deeply disturbing”, Achonu pressed the Nigeria Police Force to move beyond routine reactions by undertaking a thorough investigation to unmask the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
“These repeated killings cannot be tolerated. The police must do more than respond; they must identify those responsible, prosecute them and restore public trust in the security apparatus,” he said.
He also denounced the recent killing of police personnel in Imo North Senatorial District, pointing out that attacks on security operatives constitute a direct assault on law and order.
“Our police officers are already overstretched and under-resourced. Targeting them is not only tragic but marks a dangerous escalation that requires immediate attention,” Achonu stated.
He faulted both state and local governments for what he described as their inability to safeguard lives, insisting that with constitutional powers and direct funding now accessible to local governments, excuses for inaction no longer hold.
“Local government chairmen must collaborate closely with community leaders and the police to establish and strengthen vigilante networks that are properly trained, supervised and responsive,” he stressed.
Achonu raised concerns over the ease with which gunmen traversed multiple communities without interception, calling it proof of a collapsed grassroots security framework.
He also warned of increasing criminal infiltration in rural Imo, cautioning that ongoing neglect and political lethargy could embolden further violence.
“Villages are being overrun before our eyes because no functional local security system exists. This is the outcome of years of neglect and a lack of political will. The time for action is now,” he warned.
The former senator renewed his appeal for community-driven security partnerships and pressed for improved coordination, funding and commitment between communities and security agencies to avert future attacks.
