The recent tragic incident in Aba, Abia State, where four soldiers were killed, has been strongly condemned by Pascal Atuma, a Canadian-based Nigerian filmmaker. He also appreciated the immediate action taken by the state governor in response to the attack.
Gunmen attacked and killed soldiers at Obikabia junction in Aba, Abia State, as PREMIUM TIMES reported on May 30.
President Bola Tinubu has vowed to take decisive action against those responsible for the unrest in the region.
Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, during his visit to the families of the deceased soldiers, encouraged the remaining soldiers to remain alert and not allow the loss of their comrades to affect their morale.
Otti also said on Friday that N5 million has been added to the N25 million reward he had earlier awarded to the killers of five soldiers.
The security threats in Abia State and the South Eastern geopolitical zone of Nigeria have caused concern among many citizens, among them well-known businessman and bartender Pascal Okechukwu, also known as Cuban Chief Priest, who expressed regret over the decline in traditional activities in the region due to insecurity.
Collective efforts
The 52-year-old filmmaker, known for his strong stance on political issues, shared his opinion on public officials and their actions in a statement on Friday.
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The socially conscious filmmaker also called for collective efforts to curb insecurity in the country, lamenting the failure of security initiatives in the South East.
Atuma, whose successful directorial debut ‘My American Nurse’ premiered at the 2006 Pan African Film Festival in the United States, highlighted the importance of empowering security personnel not only in the Southeast but also across the country, particularly in the Northeast, where bandits and terrorists are very active.
Apart from praising the Otti-led administration in Abia State, the filmmaker highlighted the need for collaboration between residents and security forces.
He noted: ”This collaboration would involve the community actively protecting and assisting the police and military by providing reliable information on the region’s misfits and criminals wreaking havoc. Rewards are a great way to discourage them, but at the end of the day, they may even get used to it. The right thing is to attack this threat from the roots to contain it.”
The filmmaker also called on citizens of Abia State to respect the law and offer their utmost assistance to the army and police to safeguard the state.
Partisanship
Atuma, also the Chairman and CEO of TABIC Records Ltd., a music record label, encouraged the governor to remain steadfast and urged the people of Abia to support the efforts of the government to maintain security and continue the development of the state.
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He said: “I have recently refrained from speaking about public office holders or expressing my thoughts about their performances. You see, I’ve seen partisanship trump objectivity, more often than not, in these types of conversations enough to know that most of the time they lead nowhere. At the same time, I have also traveled the world a lot, enough to understand what good leadership means to society and encourage followership.
“We need to stay focused on building the state and, as John Maxwell said, the Governor must continue to show us the way in a way that exemplifies quality leadership.”
Atuma is a multi-award winning actor, screenwriter, film producer, film director and comedian who moved to the United States in 1995 after attending Government College Umuahia and the University of Port Harcourt in Rivers State.