Nnamdi Kanu’s release won’t end insecurity in Southeast – Gov. Soludo

Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra has expressed doubts that the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, would end insecurity in the Southeast region.

Mr Soludo, who stated this during a press conference at the government house, Awka on Tuesday, lamented that criminals have hijacked the Biafra struggle.

The governor also revealed that 99 percent of criminals arrested in the state in the past two years are Igbo’ from the Southeast region.

He, however, said most of the suspects are indigenes of the state.

Mr Soludo lamented the exploitation of the Biafran struggle and the use of Mr Kanu’s name to perpetrate organised crime and fuel insecurity in the South-East region.

According to him, these individuals had turned to “lucrative criminality,” engaging in armed robbery, kidnapping, cultism, and idolatry.

“The so-called agitators have transformed into organised criminal gangs,” Mr 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 “Kanu and IPOB have repeatedly dissociated themselves from these criminals,” Mr 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?”

Mr Soludo further decried the complicity of some communities in shielding these criminals, adding that insecurity in the region was sustained because some locals viewed security agencies as adversaries and the criminals as liberators.

“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?”

Meanwhile, 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.

“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,” Mr Soludo added.