The article discusses the troubling situation in Anambra State, Nigeria, where a man with a violent past has been appointed to a key security position by the governor. This situation is compared to the saying "letting the fox guard the chicken coop," meaning that someone untrustworthy is given responsibility over something vulnerable. The story starts in 2000 when the then-governor created a vigilante group, the Bakassi Boys, to tackle crime. However, this group became notorious for violence and human rights abuses. In 2002, a lawyer named Barnabas Igwe and his pregnant wife, Amaka, were brutally murdered by members of this group, allegedly under the command of a government official named Ken Emeakayi. Despite the outcry and attempts to bring the murderers to justice, the case was mishandled, and Emeakayi was never held accountable. Years later, when a commission recommended that the case be revisited, the same Emeakayi was instead appointed as a special adviser on community security by the current governor. This has raised concerns about the state's commitment to addressing violence and insecurity, as many fear that appointing someone with such a dark history to a security role will only worsen the situation. The article highlights the ongoing issues of governance, justice, and security in Anambra State, emphasizing the irony and frustration of allowing a suspected murderer to oversee community safety.
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