Ogoni East –West Road,the Robbers and Governor Amaechi

I was cruising through the East West road, Ogoni axis of Rivers State last week Friday, heading to Port Harcourt from Akwa Ibom State. Ahead of me was an 18 seater Toyota commercial bus. The bus was also heading to Port Harcourt. There were families, traders, workers, women and children in the bus including the bus driver, and his conductor. White was the colour of the bus .The clickety-clack of the bus, the deafening blaring of the horn and the noisy engine was like a moving welding workshop. The bus was turned into a church house by the passengers. A preacher being the master, the passengers formed the chorus, they were singing praises to God. Time was 1pm in the afternoon.

Then I heard gunshots. Armed Robbers came out from a nearby bush, about 12 fierce looking boys. Six of them approached the bus from the front while the others were dogging it. They were all marksmen, and they carried machetes, sticks and guns. The bus driver in distress applied his breaks and the bus came to a halt. I abandoned my vehicle and jumped into a nearby bush. Gunshots were fired on the air, kpoooo, ratatata. From my hiding place in the bush i was reciting the 'Hail Mary' and watching the robbers and the passengers. Ruthlessly robbed were the bus passengers. Money and valuables, all taken away from them, and to protest and protect, was nobody.

One of the greatest ill plaguing the Ogoni axis of the east-west road is armed robbery. That road is now the home of armed robbers. Indeed, the road is dangerous and threatening. People are regularly waylaid on this road by armed bandits who rob them of their properties at gunpoint. Cars are snatched from their owners with frightening ease and frequency even in broad-day. Lives are no longer safe on that road. There is general feeling of insecurity all around. No one is sure of his property; no one is sure of his life.

One of the promises that Governor Chibuike Amaechi made during his election campaign four years ago, was to provide security for the people of the state. I believe the life and properties of travellers should be part of this security agenda. Enough police check points are not on that road that is indeed lonely. This to me is security lapses on the part of Amaechi who is the Chief Security Officer of the State. Amaechi to me is like the typical Papa Ajasco politician. He always deliver the I am doing well for my state sermon yet he is defecating on the altar. It is clear, what else to know, we've seen it all in Rivers State and heard it all; it is all talk more and do less , inaction at its height, quietness in the face of carnage. Perfidy of a pernicious kind. Human life has become cheap. It is up to the government to determine which blood to save or which to ignore.White Elephant projects all over the state. Nothing matters any more to Amaechi than the loot that he has been re-elected to cart away. Yeah, looting the treasury to a Papa Ajasco politician is sweeter than honey. Check out the Eleme Junction to Tank road,that road has become a death trap but Amaechi is doing nothing .

Politicians, when they are demanding for our votes, they will form the Holly-me attitude and will be telling us about their redemption agenda. Redemption ni,redemption kor,o jare , na there time-o.Are they not the ones anointed by God for the common good of the people?. Show me the common good. All I see is the common plunder of the treasury. Amaechi is securing his empire and every other person can dive the ground. As long as the governor's children are safe from harm, let's go to bed. As i talk about Amaechi now,i remember Imo State.As the people of Imo State are dancing “Okokoma” over the emergence of Owelle Rochas Okorocha as the new occupant of Douglas House Owerri. May the lord help to make him the messiah who is to come. Me , i dey watch-o .To me our politicians can be funny .Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State should take immediate steps aimed at putting an end to these attempts by criminal elements in our society bent on creating a feeling of fear and insecurity among travellers plying the Ogoni Road. I suggest that enough Police check points should be on that road and JTF should be on constant patrol on that road. He should also try to provide more employment opportunities . Once many of our able-bodied men are gainfully employed there would be sharp reduction in the wave of armed robbery

Kenneth Uwadi writes from Mmahu-Egbema,Imo State,Nigeria