By Izunna Okafor, Awka
Suspected touts in Anambra State have pledged their loyalty to Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s anti-touting policies in the State.
The touts, numbering over 50, inadvertently pledged the allegiance through a special allegiance song composed for them by the operatives of the State Anti-touting Squad Anambra (SASA), who arrested them and also compelled them to chant the allegiance song as part of their punishment. The touts were said to have been arrested at different locations in Onitsha metropolis by the anti-touting squad who gathered them together at a place Upper Iweka.
This was corroborated by a video obtained by this reporter, Izunna Okafor, and which is currently trending on the social media, showing the arrested suspected touts as they were being coerced to chant the allegiance song and to clap at the same time, to make the song danceable.
The suspects, who sat bare-chested on the grass as they sang, where also seen nodding to the tune and rhythm of the song, while the anti-tout agents moved around, supervising them and ensuring that everyone was singing and clapping.
According to the lyrics of the song (composed in Igbo language), the arrested touts were confessing and avowing that they would henceforth keep every law and policy of the State, especially those that have to do with anti-touting, and that they will avoid doing anything prohibited by the law henceforth. They also begged for the help of the Holy Spirit to enable them keep their promise.
Although, some of the suspected touts seen in the video declined to sing the allegiance song and clap along with their colleagues; it is however, not yet confirmed to this reporter whether the arrested touts were eventually released by the anti-touting squad or taken to the office for further interrogation and investigation into their acts.
