Gunmen Dare Soludo; Attack His Backyard; Wreak Havoc On State

By Charles Igbo

The honeymoon was over for the new Governor of Anambra State, Professor Charles Soludo, even before it started.

A few days after his swearing-in ceremony, all seemed well and calm. The expectations were high that with his election, the activities of gunmen and other hoodlums would be over. He had wooed them in his inauguration speech, pleadin that  they put down their arms. He had also taken some populist actions which, ordinarily, should make him popular with the people  – his akwete  and made in Anambra revolution – his visit to Okpoko, regarded as a slum.

But many insist he has already takeb, at least, a couple of wrong steps. They said his immediate banning of motor park touts (Agbero) and their likes was undiplomatic and too soon. He did not try to woo them, or give them alternative daily jobs, they said. They, also, point out his immediate ban on the sit-at-home order by the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB. They insist the order was already irrelevant and almost forgotten, until he brought it up again. And even though IPOB had officially suspended it, there  were still a few elements who had taken it as business, and continued sparingly with it. Soludo’s mention of it, not a few people insist, woke the gunmen up again.

They also pointed out his granting of “amnesty to “IPOB members”, asking them to submit their arms. They say it was undiplomatic, especially as IPOB has always insisted that it was a peaceful, non-violent organization, and has done nothing wrong.

In response to Soludo, as if to welcome him to reality, violence has escalated in the State.

One woman, Dr Nelly Iduu, supposedly speaking “for a more aggressive and militant IPOB”, took Soludo up. She cursed him out, called a Fulani  slave, and threatened fire and brimstone.

Incidentally, the killings of Security operatives have returned. And so have attacks on Police and public facilities.

In the past few days, a number of Security operatives, including two officers of the Federal Road Safety Commission have been killed. At least three Local Government Headquarters have been set on fire, Including that of Nnewi.

In the afternoon of Thursday, March 7, the gunmen took the battle to Soludo’s backyard. They attacked the Aguata Local Government Headquarters, in Ekwulobia.  and set it on fire. By the time they were through, two people lay dead, and properties worth millions of Naira, destroyed. They had earlier set a major market in the same LGA on fire.

Governor Soludo has not reacted, as such, to the violence which has, again, enveloped the State. But on Wednesday, March 6, he set up a Truth Commission  which membership is made up of what political analysts call “people of populist bent.” They say the Governor was playing to the gallery in his choice of membership of the Committee.

On the Thursday attack, the Government has not reacted. But the Anambra Police Command  confirmed the sad incident, saying, however, that the situation was under control.