By Vincent Ujumadu

 AWKA— THE Inspector General of Police, IG, Mr. Ogbonna Onovo, yesterday in Awka made a passionate plea to the people of the South East geo-political zone to rescue him from continued embarrassment and save his job by finding a lasting solution to the problem of kidnapping and increasing crime wave in the zone.

Appeals to  Royal fathers, Union heads

Addressing traditional rulers and presidents-general of the various town unions in the state at the Women Development Centre, Awka, the IG recalled that the royal fathers were instrumental to his becoming the Inspector General and wondered
why they should abandon him midway by refusing to find a solution to the problem of kidnapping which, he observed, had given the zone a very bad image.

The IG, who addressed the people in Igbo said:   “A toad does not run during the day in vain. We all know that there is a
major problem in this zone and the question is, why is it that Igbo are killing and kidnapping fellow Igbo?

“Today, we hear of kidnapping everywhere, including the church, in the courts, in the hospitals by fellow Igbo. That is why
I decided to address the traditional rulers and other leaders of thought so that we can find out how to solve this problem.”

Onovo said he was amazed that when the census of the Niger Delta militants was being taken, he discovered that more than half of them were Igbo and wondered why Igbo who are known to be highly industrious could descend to the level of
kidnapping people as a means of livelihood.

Blames Royal fathers

Blaming the royal fathers partly for the problem, the IG said a situation where people who have no means of livelihood suddenly come to the community with expensive cars and build mansions was not normal, adding that another worrisome situation was that some traditional rulers encourage them with chieftaincy titles.

He said further: “We don’t want a situation where the Federal Government declares a state of emergency in the South East because of criminal activities. The traditional rulers have a major role to play in ensuring that the battle against
criminals in our society is won. A situation where some Igbo now conduct traditional marriages in Lagos and other places for fear of being kidnapped at home is very shameful.

“A situation where our people are no longer free to carry out burial ceremonies without the presence of policemen is very shameful.”

He, however, said that the police was not resting on its oars, adding that no fewer than 10,000 police personnel had been sent to the area to beef up security.

He warned that all the policemen who have abandoned their jobs to go into business at Onitsha and Nnewi would be shown the way out of the force.