Anambra traders plot return of Bakassi boys over rising insecurity

Traders in Anambra state are planning to bring back the dreaded Bakassi Boys following the rising insecurity in the Southeast region.

It would be recalled that during the regime Dr. Chinweoke Mbadinuju, the Anambra State House of Assembly made a law that was assented to by the state government, which established the Anambra Vigilant Service (AVS).

The AVS law gave the Bakassi Boys the legal framework to operate and till date, the law still subsists. It was authoritatively gathered that the traders on the platform of Concerned Anambra Traders Association (CATA) have held three meetings with the security outfit in Aba, Abia State, to fine-tune modalities for the return of the Bakassi Boys.

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It was gathered that last week, a delegation of the leaders of the security outfit visited Onitsha main market to discuss logistics for the commencement of operations in Anambra State.

According to the spokesman of the traders association, Ichie Nathan Okoli, the security situation in Onitsha has become worse since the police have been cowed by the activities of the unknown gunmen.

“People go home early and you cannot stay at Upper Iweka, Nkpor, Main Market and Bridge Head beyond 5:00 p.m. because criminals will feast on you and rip you off.

“They visit operators of POS and obtain money from them at gunpoint and they hang around banks and inside the banking halls to know those that withdraw money and then trail them to their destination and collect the money and since the police are handicapped, nobody is there to protect you.

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“In those days of the Bakassi Boys, you couldn’t try it and they would execute the criminals there and then Onitsha became free. Go to Awka, the same thing is happening and in Nnewi, the same thing is happening and cultists have taken over everywhere.

The police are helpless and the public is also helpless. So, very soon, the Bakassi Boys will return because we have no option but protect ourselves at this point.”