Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, on Tuesday, expressed skepticism about the potential impact of releasing the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, on resolving the ongoing insecurity issues in the South-East.
Speaking at a press briefing at the Governor’s Lodge in Amawbia, Soludo stated that criminals have increasingly hijacked the Biafran cause for their own purposes.
He pointed out that under the pretense of advocating for the Biafran struggle, these individuals had turned to “lucrative criminality,” involving armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism, and idolatry.
Soludo emphasized that their actions have no connection to the genuine liberation movement, insisting that the crimes are driven solely by greed and lawlessness.
The governor also disclosed that over 99 percent of criminals arrested in Anambra over the past two years were Igbo, with more than 70 percent of them being non-indigenes of the state.
“The so-called agitators have transformed into organised criminal gangs,” Soludo said. “They hide in forests, kidnapping innocent citizens for ransom, and they justify their atrocities under the pretext of Biafra. Let us be clear—this has nothing to do with any liberation movement. Criminality has taken on a life of its own. These people have tasted blood, and now, money is their motivation.”
“Kanu and IPOB have repeatedly dissociated themselves from these criminals,” Soludo explained. “Even if Nnamdi Kanu is released today, I’m not sure they would listen to him because what they now pursue is wealth, not liberation. They have become enemies of the people they claim to protect. Who are they fighting for when they kidnap and kill their own people?”
“Our people know these criminals. They are our brothers, cousins, and neighbours,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that in some communities, people contribute food to sustain these criminals hiding in the forests. How do you fight insecurity when people see criminals as heroes and the police as the enemy?”
The governor announced the plan to launch ‘Operation Udo Ga Chi’ (Operation Peace Shall Reign), a state-wide security initiative scheduled to commence after January 25.
The operation, Soludo said, would deploy 163 branded vehicles for stop-and-search activities and integrate advanced surveillance technology to track criminals and secure forests.
“We are intensifying our security measures with both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches. We have trained forest guards to work with vigilantes and LG authorities to reclaim our forests. I call on these criminals to embrace our amnesty window, which remains open until the end of February,” Soludo added.