Insecurity, if it is remembered, was a major headache in Anambra state when Chief Willie Obiano assumed office as Governor in 2014, and set his sights on the vision to make Anambra State the first-choice investment destination and hub of industrialization and commercial activities.
He also declared a mission to create a socially stable, business friendly environment that will attract both indigenes and foreigners to wealth creating opportunities in Anambra State.
But the realization was the achievement of these lofty ideals as well as the 4-Pillars of Economic Development hinged on Agriculture, Trade & Commerce Industrialization as well as Oil & Gas, will come to naught if security was not adequately tackled.
Thus, Obiano’s first step was to organize the first International Security Conference, which was facilitated by an Israeli security expert. The immediate outcome of that idea is the famous Anambra Security Architecture.
The first phase of the security blueprint was the launch of Operation Kpochapu one with a joint Task Force on Security, involving representatives of the Nigerian Police, the Army, Navy, State Security Services and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
At the occasion, the Governor presented 25 new patrol vehicles to support the operations, the first set of the 400 earmarked to boost the operations targeted at flushing out criminal elements from the state.
Thus, the Obiano administration commenced the demolition of identified hideouts and properties as well as flushing out of kidnapers from their dens, with coordinated, intense crackdown, sandbag security posts at identified blind spots as well as joint patrols. They equally mounted motorcycle squad across the state.
The Governor also made good his promise to provide gunboat patrols for the riverine area water channels to prevent dangerous trafficking and other criminal activities. The result was immediate return of sanity with business and commercial activities, thriving without let or hindrance in the state.
Subsequently, Governor Obiano moved to improve and sustain the gains of state security architecture with the launch of Operation Kpochapu two on October 11, 2019 with a new digital Anambra Smart City Surveillance System to boost the idea of eternal vigilance against criminal elements.
The launch witnessed an array of security vehicles and surveillance equipment donated to the combined team of security operatives to sustain the fight against crime and criminality in the state with the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu. These include; 110 operational security vehicles from Innoson motors, Mobile mounted CCTV Cameras, 76 motorcycles and Toyota Sienna support vehicles for the all arms of the security services.
The overall outcome of the campaign against insecurity is that Anambra State was declared Nigeria’s safest state and that engendered social harmony in the state with 24-hour economy and sustained inflow of investments into the state.