Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra state have accused secessionists groups in the south east of criminality, saying those agitating for a separate country from Nigerians are now doing so for pecuniary gains.
Prof. Soludo made the remark on Tuesday while speaking to journalists at the Governor’s Lodge in Amawbia.
According to the state’s helmsman, these criminals have become turn-coats from genuine agitators like Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB because they are now driven by financial greed, which they do by kidnapping people for ransom, and other criminal acts.
He warned that the release of Kanu will not solve the problem of insecurity in the region because the secessionist struggle have been hijacked by these elements who activities have continued to fuel organised crime in the region.
The governor described the agitators as opportunists who hide under IPOB by engaging in crimes such as armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism, and idolatry, amongst others. Soludo lashed out at them saying they are engaged in ‘lucrative criminality”.
“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?”
The governor accused some people of aiding the criminals saying “They are our brothers, cousins, and neighbors,” noting that it will be impossible for the government to fight the criminals while they are being aided by some unscrupulous individuals in the region.
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?”
He also called for a concerted efforts among residents and government to combat the menace of insecurity in the region, calling on the agitators to surrender, adding that the government is adopting both kinetic and non-kinetic measures to stamp out the criminals from the state.
Soludo said, “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.
Calling for collective action, Soludo urged religious leaders, traditional rulers, and
“Insecurity is a monster that must be confronted collectively. If you see something, say something. Anambra will no longer be a haven for criminals masquerading as freedom fighters.”
Security experts insist that the problem of insecurity in the region has seriously nosedived following the arrest of Simon Ekpa, the Finland-based leader of the militant faction of IPOB by the Finnish authority last month.
Ekpa’s trial , according to the country’s authority which accused him and other accomplices of International terrorism and terrorism financing, will begin in June next year.
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