CITIZENS COMPASS —Anambra State Anti-Touting Squad has arrested 64 suspected touts in various parts of Onitsha on Tuesday, October 24, 2023.
The occurred 24 hours after the State Governor, Chukwuma Charles Soludo inaugurated the Squad.
The suspects were arrested along with other suspected criminals around the notorious Upper Iweka, Bridge Head and Chisco Motor Park areas.
Although there is no specific law on touting in the state, it was gathered that the suspects might be charged and prosecuted under existing laws, pending the passage of a relevant law by the state House of Assembly.
Parading the suspects, the Director of Operations of the squad, Solomon Onwuemene said the arrest would continue until the Onitsha metropolis is cleared of criminals.
Onwuemene, who said the suspects would be prosecuted accordingly
if found wanting at the end, charged those still deriving pleasure in touting to repent and key into the state government’s various initiatives to become productive.
Recall that Governor Chukwuma Soludo had, while inaugurating the squad on Monday, October 23, 2023, said they would help to restore law and order in the Greater Onitsha area consisting of Onitsha North, Onitsha South, Ogbaru, Oyi, Idemili North and Idemili South local government areas.
The governor had said, “We have told the youths to come out from their hideouts and the bush. We shall help to rehabilitate and integrate them into the society to be useful to their families, communities, states, and nations.
“While dealing with hoodlums on a larger scale, we will be dealing with touts in Onitsha area and Anambra State as a whole.
“We are fighting a war to bring back the soul of our society governed by law and order, not a society where anyone does what he or she likes arbitrarily without recourse to law and order.
“Touts disturb customers who come from every nook and cranny of the country, but this journey is to rescue Onitsha as a commercial hub and Anambra State in general.”
