By Ikenna Nwokedi 

The Chairman, Dunukofia Local Government Area, Hon. Barr. Chijioke Ozumba on Monday, 24th February 2025 held a successful stakeholders meeting with the six communities of the council comprising of Ukpo, Ifitedunu, Umunnachi, Umudioka, Ukwulu and Nawgu.

The crucial meeting which was held at Ifitedunu Civic Centre with the theme, "Ensuring liveable and prosperous Dunukofia, inline with Governor Soludo's agenda," had the convergence of stakeholders from the six communities domiciled in the local council comprising of the traditional rulers; President-Generals; Community women leaders; Village Chairman, women leaders and youth leaders; the ASATU youth leaders and Lady organizers; Clergies in all the major churches; Chairman of Ndi Omenani and Nze na Ozo Dunukofia; Chairmen of Tricycle and Motorcycle operators; Chairman and Secretaries of Non-indigenes in the six communities as well as hotel and restaurant owners in the LGA.

In his remarks, the mayor of Dunukofia, Barr. Chijioke Ozumba thanked Gov. Soludo for the proactive measures taken towards curbing the menace of insecurity in the state. The Dunukofia LGA boss informed that the present Government under the leadership of Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo has taken drastic measures towards tackling insecurity in the State, including Dunukofia LGA which led to the enactment of the 2025 Anambra State Homeland Security Law and emergency of Operation Udo Ga Achi and Agunechemba.

Barr. Ozumba admonished the community leaders to ensure they study the 2025 Anambra State Homeland Security Law and be well informed about the different sections as ignorance of the law is not an excuse. The Dunukofia LGA leader advised all and sundry in the six communities to endeavour to speak up and cooperate with the law enforcement agencies by reaching out to their various community heads when they see, feel and get vital intels that tend to bridge the palpable peace and security in their communities.

Barr. Ozumba said: "We thank Gov. Soludo for the proactive measures toward addressing security challenges in the state via signing into law the 2025 Anambra State Homeland Security Law and the advent of the Operation Udo Ga Achi and Agunechemba. Let us be reminded that it is our duty in ensuring that the efforts of the present Government towards achieving a liveable and progressive Anambra is achieved with adequate security measures being in place at various levels. 

"Security is our collective responsibility and not just the role of the PGs and the traditional rulers. It is important that we take our time to study the 2025 Anambra State Homeland Security Law as in law we say that ignorance is not an excuse as any one who falls foul of the law will be made to face the full weight irrespective of his social status and affiliation which is why we convened this stakeholders meeting. Let us do the needful by cooperating with security agencies and our community leaders to ensure that we stem the tide of insecurity and make Dunukofia one of the best LGAs in this aspect," Ozumba said.

The Mayor of Dunukofia further disclosed that his administration has procured 100 pieces of CCTV cameras to be mounted at strategic points in the LGA to boost security measures while 60 pieces of Walkie Talkies will also be procured as well. Barr. Ozumba informed that under his watch, he will ensure that an executive bill is passed which will mandate hotels, restaurants, bars, churches and some residents to install security cameras to aid the fight against insecurity.

One of the resource persons, Barrister J.C. Oraekeh highlighted the importance of 2025 Anambra State Homeland Security Law in tackling the security menace in the state. The legal luminary while eulogizing Gov. Soludo stated that the law since coming into place has no doubt quelled the tension in the state brought about by insecurity.

Barr. Oraekeh who informed that the Homeland Security Law has 39 sections averred that every section of it was carefully formulated for protection of Ndi Anambra. He also highlighted the various penalties that culprits will face if they go against the law while calling on the various stakeholders in the six communities to ensure that they are conversant with all the provisions of the law.

On her part, the DSS officer in charge of Dunukofia LGA, Detective Joy Awudu harped on the importance of cooperating with security forces in the LGA in tackling insecurity head-on and maintaining decorum. Awudu who spoke on the powers of the Private Security Companies' existence in the state affirmed that their operations are legal but must confirm with the 2025 Anambra State Homeland law.

The DSS officer also admonished the owners and operators of the Hotels in the six communities to ensure that there is adequate documentation of identity of persons who wish to lodge in their facilities and ensure they make available the hotel manifest on weekly basis to authorities of which failure to do so will be seen as an act of sabotage, aiding and abetting criminality in their communities. She also called on landlords and landladies to ensure that they possess vital details and documentations of their tenants.

Re-echoing the views of Detective Awudu, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) incharge of Police Divisional Headquarters in Dunukofia, CSP Green Offor affirmed that the 2025 Anambra State Homeland Security Law has come to stay and urged all to ensure they adhere strictly to the provisions. CSP Offor said that the Police Force has a duty of ensuring that the law is adhered to and those who go against the laws will be arrested and prosecuted.

Silas Anikaobi of the NSCDC in his remarks promised that the para-military organization is at the forefront of ensuring that security challenges in the state is stamped out completely while urging community dwellers and all citizens of the six communities to ensure they speak up as information is key in the war against insecurity.

In a vote of thanks, the President-General of Ifitedunu Community, Comrade Stephen Ufoaroh who described the stakeholders meeting as a success thanked the Mayor of Dunukofia for convening the stakeholders meeting which was crucial towards inundating the six communities about the advent of the 2025 Anambra State Homeland Security Law by the State Government under the leadership of Gov. Soludo.

The former Chairperson ASUU UNIZIK Branch thanked the stakeholders who turned up for the all important meeting while admonishing all and sundry to ensure they cooperate with security forces in ensuring that the dream of a liveable and prosperous Dunukofia and Anambra is achieved.

The stakeholders meeting also featured question and answer sessions as well as comments from the Traditional Ruler of Ifitedunu, HRH Igwe Dr. Chukwuemeka Iluno; Traditional Ruler of Nawgu, HRH Igwe George Onwuogu; the Parish Priest at St. Theresa's Catholic Church, Ukwulu, Rev. Fr. Chinedu Okani; as well as reactions from President-Generals, Women and Youth leaders of the various communities.

Earlier on, the Mayor of Dunukofia went further to release the Security Emergency numbers as 112 and 5111 while 08002200008 was also made public for security alert. Also the hot lines of security forces in the LGA such as the Police DPO (08161341080), DSS (08036092732) and NSCDC (08037898669) were made public.

Other highlights of the stakeholders meeting were the inauguration of Security, Finance and Management Committee of the towns of Ukpo, Ifitedunu, Umudioka and Umunnachi by the mayor of Dunukofia with some of the committee members joining virtually as well as the inauguration of a four-member Committee of Dunukofia Hotel Owners Association.