‘‘99.99% Forest Criminals Are Igbo’’;  Group Roasts Soludo

By Charles Igbo

Anambra State Governor, Professor Charles Soludo is in trouble.

A pro-Igbo socio-political group, which goes by the name, World Igbo National Union (WINU), has slammed the Governor over his public statement in Maryland, United States that 99.9% of criminals hiding in South East forests are Igbo. By that saying, Soludo debunked  the widely held belief that the criminals are rogue Fulani herdsmen.

He confessed that he was initially taken in by the propaganda that rogue herdsmen were responsible for the atrocities until he discovered the truth.

The Governor’s statement made during a meeting has triggered a huge outrage from Igbo stakeholders and civil society groups.

Publicity Secretary, WINU, Comrade Ifeanyi Uwakwa, said Soludo’s statement was, both, at once,  “insensitive and baseless”. He   demanded from the Governor either an evidence to support his claim or a public apology for “the demonization of Ndigbo.”

WINU: “We demand that Governor Soludo provides proof to back his speech in the United States, or he should tender a public apology for his insensitive and callous remarks, made just to appease political sponsors,”

and added that it was   shocked that Soludo, a “renowned scholar” made such allegations without any investigation and/or interrogation.

That, the statement said, is important given that several reports have linked rogue herdsmen to the   atrocities in forests and farmlands within  the region.

“Foreign and local reports indicate that herdsmen, armed with sophisticated weapons and sponsored by unnamed interests, have been the primary actors in the attacks on rural communities in Igboland,” it said.

The group berated Soludo for  closing his eyes to the documented atrocities of terrorist herders in  Mgbakwu, Igboariam, Umueri, Umunze, Ogbunka, and Amansea, all in Anambra State and chose to blame their long-suffering victims.

WINU: “Framing the victims as perpetrators is a shameful tactic. It must cease. Why is the Governor covering up the atrocities of these terrorist herdsmen while shifting blame to Igbo youths?”

The group advised Soludo to adopt a more proactive and evidence-based approach in his address of insecurity, like other South-East governors and stop relying on political rhetoric.