We Engaged Unknown Gunmen in a Heavy Shootout to Ensure Election Held in Ihiala — Anambra CP Recounts Spectacular Experience, Decorates Newly-Promoted Officers

By Izunna Okafor, Awka

The Anambra State Police Command, CP Aderemi Adeoye, has recounted a memorable and impressive experience of how he and some other officers of the Command fought tooth and nail against the unknown gunmen, to ensure that election held in Ihiala Local Government Area of the State during the 2021 gubernatorial election in the State.

CP Adeoye, who shared the experience on Tuesday in Awka, during the decoration of the newly-promoted officers of the state’s Command, said police profession was a national call to duty, while also reminding the officers that promotion comes with higher responsibilities, even as new posting comes with new task and new test of competence. Recounting some of the places he had previously been posted to serve in different capacities in different parts of the country since his 35 years in the Police profession, including Maiduguri where he served as a Sector Commander, JTF and Anambra State; the Police Commissioner, said he said he accepted all the postings in good fate and used the opportunities to shine and prove his competence.

He recalled how the Unknown Gunmen vowed that election would not hold in Ihiala Local Government, where they had their headquarters during the time they were massively territorizing the state and even designated some places as no-go areas in the State during the time.

While advising officers of the Command never to lobby for posting, the CP recalled that he was posted from the National Headquarters Abuja down to the Southeast to Coordinate the Police Mobile Force in the five south-eastern states; and from where he was later posted down to Anambra state as a Deputy Commissioner of Police to help sanitize the state of insecurity then, shortly after the assassination (in Nkpor) of Dr. Chike Akunyili, the husband of former NAFDAC Boss, Prof. Dora Akunyili.

Continuing with the narration, he recalled that upon his posting, he and other officers under his control worked tirelessly to see that the security narrative in the state changed for good.

“I was here for one year, and God helped us, the election everybody thought would not hold eventually held. That was the election that produced the current Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo.

“At first, there was an election in all parts of Anambra State, but no election in Ihiala Local Government Area, because the Unknown Gunmen had their headquarters there.

“And immediately we finished election in other parts of the State, we mobilized the whole Force to Ihiala and said ‘Their real father, let them come out’. And we engage them in a shootout in a bush from morning till night, so that they would not go to the Ihiala town to disrupt the election. I was in the helicopter, coordinating the operation.

“And today Anambra is safe and peaceful because some of you (referring to the officers) have worked hard to make you so. And I stand here to declare and assure that never again will the people of Anambra State be subjected to that kind of mindless bloodletting by miscreants. If they raise their heads to do it again we will take the battle to them,” he said.

While thanking God for victory and commending his men for their gallantry, CP Adeoye, who was re-posted to Anambra State last year (now as Police Commissioner) also prayed for the sustenance of the peace that has returned to the state as well as the instant stoppage of the various minor crimes and pockets of violence that are periodically recorded in some parts of the state, especially in the Azia, Orsumoghu, Lilu and Isekke areas.

Congratulating the newly-promoted officers, he reminded them of the need to continue to work harder, and also charged them to always be professional and exemplary in their conducts henceforth, even as he enjoined them to see the promotion as a better opportunity to do better in their service of sacrifice to the nation and humanity at large, as well as to justify the approval of their promotion by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun.

Aside David Iloyanomon, former DCP Administration, who was promoted and now posted to Taraba State as Police Commissioner; other newly-promoted officers from the Anambra State Police Command who were decorated at the event include four officers promoted from Chief Superintendent of Police to the rank of Assistant Commissioners of Police, four officers promoted from Supritendent of Police to Chief Superintendent of Police; as well as one officer promoted from Assistant Superintendent of Police to Deputy Superintendent of Police.

Speaking on behalf of others, some of the newly-promoted officers, ACP Collins Eruogu thanked the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Egbetokun, the Police Service Commission, and CP Adeoye, for the promotion, adding that the promotion will motivate them to continue being outstanding and professional in the discharge of their duties.