As 2024 draws to a close, the Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRRAN) has designated Enugu as the safest state in the Southeast region, while Anambra is deemed the most dangerous.
In a recent review of human rights protection and the security of lives and property in Southeastern Nigeria, Olu Omotayo Esq., president of CRRAN, stated, “Enugu State stands out as the safest place to live in the region due to the current administration’s strong human rights record and its commitment to protecting citizens’ lives and property.”
Barr. Omotayo also noted that “Ebonyi State closely follows in second place, with Imo in third, Abia in fourth, and Anambra in fifth as the most perilous state in the Southeast. The ongoing cult wars and killings continue to plague the state capital, Awka, while the governor appears unable to ensure the safety of citizens. Just days before, on October 24, 2024, no fewer than six individuals were killed near Nnamdi Azikiwe University’s main gate in Awka.”
Providing additional context for their findings, the human rights activist highlighted recent violations, citing the murder of Dr. Fabian Osita, a lecturer at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, on December 16, 2024. The year ended tragically with the killing of Reverend Father Tobias Okonkwo from the Catholic Diocese of Nnewi on December 26, 2024. The ongoing violence in Anambra State is alarming and poses a significant threat to democracy.
The indices used to evaluate the human rights conditions in these five states include: 1) the security situation and the protection of lives and property, 2) the rate of human rights violations by state actors, and 3) the rate of conflict between security agencies and non-state actors. Security is defined as “the state of being free from danger or threat.” Therefore, discussing security in the context of lives and property means citizens should feel safe from danger and threat.
Omotayo emphasized, “Since Peter Mbah Esq. assumed office, the security situation in Enugu State has improved dramatically, thanks to the implementation of a new security architecture, including a Command and Control Center and enhanced mobility for security agents.”
The presence of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army within the state has also been crucial, as joint security patrols have transformed Enugu into what can be regarded as the safest city in the country. It is the only state where individuals can move freely both day and night without fear of attack from criminal gangs and hoodlums, a reality grounded in practice rather than theoretical assumptions.
Significant strides have been made in reducing human rights violations in the state as a result of government interventions addressing complaints and the State Police Command’s prompt response to reported violations, particularly through its State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID).
Some notable interventions include the State Government’s action on January 11, 2024, which led to the release of Arinze Nelson Eze, an SS2 student unlawfully detained at the State Police Headquarters in Enugu since October 9, 2023. In July 2024, the government also intervened in the rights violation case of Chinedu Samuel Ajogwu of Brosam and Sons International Venture at Ogige Market, Nsukka, who had been unjustly declared wanted by the police after collecting haulage fees on behalf of the government.
Moreover, the rate of confrontations between security agencies and non-state actors in both Enugu and Ebonyi States has significantly decreased, reducing violent incidents involving security personnel to isolated occurrences.
It is clear that the current situation in Anambra State poses a grave threat to human rights and democracy in Nigeria. The state governor must fulfill his responsibility to protect the lives and properties of citizens. After all, the most fundamental human right is the right to life—without it, no other rights can be secured.
“The Anambra State Police Command confirmed the killing of seven persons at Ihiala yesterday. We also commiserate with the families of seven innocent citizens who were murdered in cold blood yesterday 30th December 2024, at Umuike, Ubahuekwem, Ihiala, in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State. The first son of the family, a successful businessman based in Portharcourt, who had come in preparation for the burial of his aged mother slated for January 3rd 2025, was murdered in his compound alongside four well-wishers and two security men.”