Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has accused self-acclaimed Biafran agitators of engaging in “lucrative criminality” in the South-East by perpetrating organised crimes such as armed robbery, cultism, kidnapping, and even idolatry for ransom.
Soludo noted that criminals are now hiding under the guise of a liberation struggle to engage in all manners of crime, fuelling insecurity in the region.
He said the state government is resolute in its determination to tackle criminality and ensure that Anambra is liberated from the grip of these criminal elements.
The governor made these remarks during a press briefing at the Governor’s Lodge in Amawbia, near Awka, the state capital, on Tuesday.
He emphasised that the briefing was aimed at addressing the security challenges facing the state and the measures the government is taking to tackle them, stressing that security is a collective responsibility and sustainable security requires full-scale measures.
Soludo revealed that 99 per cent of the criminals arrested in the state in the last two years are Igbo, and over 70 per cent are non-indigenes of Anambra, adding that they flocked into Anambra because of the large ransoms paid there.
While calling on criminal elements to embrace the amnesty offered by the state government, Soludo reiterated that the state is deepening its use of technology to track criminals.
He said, “Today marks the 33rd month of our assumption of office, and it is quite appropriate that we address you today regarding the security situation in Anambra. Despite the unique challenges posed by self-acclaimed liberators and agitators, we are determined to tackle criminality and ensure Anambra is safe, livable, and prosperous for the people.
“When we assumed office, eight LGAs were in the hands of criminal elements, with insecurity posing a significant challenge to the extent that we could not even campaign during the governorship election.
“Even one of the governorship candidates was kidnapped during the electioneering campaign and has not been seen till today.”
He added, “Within 12 months, we recovered those eight LGAs from the criminal elements. However, we have noticed that these criminal elements have returned.
“As a government, we value every life as sacred and will ensure that no life continues to be wasted. This time, we will triple our efforts, employing both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches.
“We are dealing with four major challenges: kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, toutism, and idolatry. Our security agencies are confronting these crimes in various ways, but we will double our efforts. Drugs are another epidemic in the state; everywhere you look in Anambra, they are being sold like groundnut.”
Soludo announced that after January 25, the state will launch a special security initiative named “Operation Udo ga chi” (Operation Peace Shall Reign), involving 163 branded vehicles deployed across the state for stop-and-search operations to ensure no stone is left unturned in ridding the state of criminals.
He added, “Ideally, some may consider this outdated, but given the type of criminal activities occurring in this region, everything must be thrown into the ring. Our security personnel will be backed by state-owned security technology to ensure they do not use it to extort people.
“We are also training forest guards to safeguard our forests in collaboration with our local vigilantes and local government authorities. We have extended an amnesty to these criminals to surrender themselves, and this window will remain open until the end of February.”
Regarding the issue of whether insecurity would end if the Federal Government releases the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Soludo said Kanu and IPOB have made several statements distancing themselves from criminal elements.
