03/01/2025
Anambra Security Solution is oncourse.
ANAMBRA STATE: CREATING MILESTONES IN FIGHTING INSECURITY THROUGH NON-KINETIC APPROACH
By Patrick Agha Mba, Commissioner for Youth Development, Anambra State
The security situation in Anambra State has recently attracted significant attention and reactions, necessitating the need to clarify the efforts of the current administration in addressing insecurity. Some of the public discourse may stem from ignorance or malice, and it is crucial to present the facts accurately.
First, it is important to note that the current security challenges are not peculiar to Anambra but are widespread across the federation due to economic decline and insurgency. Secondly, the present administration inherited a dire security situation upon assuming office. During the last governorship campaign, insecurity was so severe that even branded campaign vehicles were unsafe to use. Kidnapping was rampant, and the governor himself narrowly escaped abduction. By the time Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo assumed office in March 2022, seven local government areas (LGAs) were under the control of criminal elements, with secretariats burnt down by hoodlums.
Today, however, significant progress has been recorded, with only isolated incidents of crime reported in some areas. It is easy to forget how severe the situation was once improvements are made.
KINETIC MEASURES: ADDRESSING INSECURITY HEAD-ON
On assuming office, Prof. Soludo initiated decisive measures to tackle criminal activities in a structured and sustainable manner. He established the Ministry of Homeland Affairs to oversee internal security operations, employing both conventional and unconventional strategies.
Key interventions included:
• Equipping law enforcement agencies, including the police, Civil Defence, and military formations.
• Revamping the Anambra Vigilante Group (AVG) with state and local government strike forces.
• Creating the State Anti-Touting Squad (SASA).
• Installing streetlights and surveillance cameras for enhanced urban security.
• Engaging communities in policing efforts.
Within four months of implementing these measures, the seven LGAs previously overrun by non-state actors were reclaimed, and security drastically improved. Community policing was further strengthened with the creation of the Office of Special Adviser on Community Policing, headed by Chief Ken Emeakayi. This office has officially launched initiatives like “Udo Ga-Achi,” with 167 security vehicles provided for effective operations.
NON-KINETIC APPROACHES: EMPOWERING THE YOUTH
Recognizing that most crimes are committed by youths, the administration has focused on human capital development to engage the youth population positively. With over 65% of the state’s population comprising young people, proactive measures were taken:
• Employment Initiatives: Over 8,180 teachers and 1,000 health workers were employed, marking a record in state history.
• Infrastructure Development: Massive investments in construction have provided jobs for skilled laborers.
• Digital Empowerment: Through the Solution Innovation District (SID), initiatives like Code Anambra and Level Up Anambra have trained 20,000 youths in digital skills, with the 1 Million Digital Tribe initiative targeting a million beneficiaries.
1Youth2Skills Solution
The 1Youth2Skills Solution is hailed as Nigeria’s most impactful youth enterprise development model. Its five critical schemes—Apprenticeship, Entrepreneurship, Cooperatives Formation, Business Financing, and Mentorship—form a holistic framework for empowering youths.
• Apprenticeship Scheme: Trainees learn vocational skills and the associated business aspects in over 65 fields.
• Entrepreneurship Scheme: Conducted by UNIZIK Business School, trainees access 43 courses tailored to professional standards.
• Cooperative Formation: Trainees form cooperatives for business sustainability, enabling easier access to resources.
• Business Financing: Equipment financing is provided as grants, while working capital is disbursed as soft loans through the Anambra Small Business Agency (ASBA).
• Mentorship Scheme: New entrepreneurs are guided through their first year of operations, ensuring business success.
In its first phase, the program empowered 5,000 youths with N2 billion in equipment grants and N2.5 billion in working capital loans. Monitoring and evaluation reports indicate an 80% success rate in business operations.
The second phase currently targets over 11,000 youths, with plans for N3 billion in grants and N4 billion in soft loans. The third phase aims to empower 20,000 youths and expand vocational training centers to 1,000.
Other innovative initiatives include:
• Youth to Agriculture Scheme (YTAS): Harnessing opportunities in agriculture.
• Anawood Scheme: Supporting creative industries.
• Umuboi Entrepreneurship Scheme: Providing young traders with entrepreneurial training and funding.
REFORMATION PROGRAMS AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
The Youth Reformation and Redirection Program focuses on rehabilitating former touts, providing them with skills and values for meaningful livelihoods. Over 2,000 youths have benefitted, with many now enrolled in the 1Youth2Skills Solution.
The government has also fostered Public-Private-Community Partnerships (PPCPs) to involve individuals, corporate bodies, and communities in security efforts. Communities like Obosi, Isuofia, and Onitsha have adopted these models with impressive results.
CONCLUSION
The Soludo administration’s combined kinetic and non-kinetic approaches are reshaping Anambra’s security landscape. Programs like 1Youth2Skills Solution provide a structured and sustainable platform for youth empowerment, ensuring lasting impact.
Prof. Soludo’s initiatives, supported by Ndi Anambra, are building a peaceful, secure, and prosperous state. Security, being a collective responsibility, demands continuous collaboration to sustain these milestones.
Patrick Agha Mba
Commissioner for Youth Development, Anambra State
