All gunmen caught in Anambra are Igbo, says Soludo

 

 

Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, , says all the gunmen caught in the state so far are indigenes of the South East.

 

He also  assured that Anambra State under his watch is  comparatively secured and peaceful six months into his administration While he agreed that there could be cases of isolated criminalities, the frequency of such occurrences, he pointed out, has reduced to the barest minimum

 

Governor Soludo made the above assertion while fielding questions from Seun Okinbaloye on “Politics Sunday” aired on Channels Television, Sunday night

 

Anambra, in recent months, has been targeted by gunmen who attack residents, security operatives and public infrastructure.

 

On September 11, the convoy of Ifeanyi Ubah, lawmaker representing Anambra south senatorial district, was attacked by gunmen at Nkwo Enugu Ukwu, in Njikoka LGA of Anambra.

 

Police officers and some aides of the senator were killed in the attack.

 

Asked on the programme to comment on the identity of such attackers, who are often referred to as “unknown gunmen”, the governor said they are known.

 

“They are plain criminals, nothing else,” he said.

“It is lucrative criminality and idolatry. These are the two things that have come with it.

 

“Anambra is, without a doubt, the richest state in the South-east. So, this is the place where kidnapping has the highest value. So, you have the highest concentration here.

 

“They are not unknown gunmen. They are unknown to the extent that maybe they are not caught immediately in the act, but I can tell you that we have been catching quite a lot of them and they know that something is happening and that Anambra is not safe for them. Never again.

 

“Let me be clear about this. 100 percent of all the people that we have caught are Igbos. There is no one who has somebody invading from somewhere. It is 100 percent Igbos on Igbos.

 

“The first set of people we caught were 100 percent Igbos from other South-east states and none from Anambra.

 

“But as we went on, we then discovered that a whole lot of the youths who have been taken to these bushes that got indoctrinated and initiated into all these kinds of things also happen to be citizens of Anambra state or indigenes of Anambra.”

 

The governor also said his administration is doing everything possible, including using the “stick and carrot” approach, in tackling criminality in the state.

 

He said “relative peace” has returned to the state because his administration came into power “very determined” to eliminate criminals.

 

“Their camps are being decimated. It won’t be too long before we pin them down,” he said.

 

“Anambra has been quite relatively peaceful. We are pursuing this agenda. Compared to many other places in Nigeria, I’ll dare to say — if we are to have the statistics for the past three months — I think Anambra will compete favourably as one of the safest comparatively.”

 

Giving a brief overview of his administration over the past six months, Governor Soludo stated that the months have been focused on the core foundational issues of the five key pillars of his administration’s agenda which include security, law and order, economic transformation geared towards having an industrial, technology leisure hub

 

According to him, these also include re-orientation of value system as well as ensuring a clean and green environment

 

Governor Soludo also revealed that marking his six months in office, he flagged off, on the previous day, 60.4 kilometers of strategic roads across the varous senatorial zones in the state. He added that in few months, more roads, totally 220 kms will be flagged off.

 

He also stated that to end the era of schools without teachers and hospitals without doctors and nurses, his government is recruiting teachers and  medical personnel to beef up these institutions for good quality education and better health service delivery in the state

 

On governance, the Governor   said his administration is adopting fiscal prudence by doing more with less.

 

On environment, Governor Soludo maintained, it remains one of the existential threats in the State after insecurity, with the menace of Erosion  plaguing the State which is gradually being controlled  with the planting of millions of trees. He also revealed the Regenerative Agricultural Systems is being adopted with the coconut and palm oil economy coming on stream

 

The philosophy of patronizing made in Anambra products to boost the local economy and good waste management system for a fresher and clean environment are also being rigorously pursued

 

On the Presidential candidate of Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, Governor Soludo said the LP presidential candidate is his friend and brother and would like to wish him good luck including the APGA presidential candidate, Prof Peter Umeadi, who are both from Anambra State and great sons of the Igbo nation