The Governor of Anambra State, Professor Charles Soludo, has said that contrary to widespread belief, the majority of kidnappings and violent crimes in Anambra and across the South-East are perpetrated by Igbo criminals, not Fulani herdsmen.
Soludo made this assertion during a town hall meeting with Anambra indigenes in the Diaspora, held at Metro Points Hotel in New Carrollton, Maryland, United States, as part of his ongoing engagement with the diaspora community.
“Since I assumed office over three years ago, 99.99 per cent of those arrested for kidnapping and other violent crimes in Anambra are Igbos,” Soludo stated, debunking what he described as a “dangerous and misleading narrative” that external groups were responsible for the region’s security challenges.
In a video from the event circulating on social media, the governor stressed that many of the so-called “liberators” hiding in the forests are in fact Igbo youths engaged in criminal activities for personal gain, not ideological liberation.
“Let’s stop deceiving ourselves. Ask yourselves: how do these so-called liberators survive in the forests for months without local support? Who feeds them?” he asked.
“Nearly every kidnapper and armed criminal we have apprehended is Igbo. Igbos are kidnapping and killing fellow Igbos — not Fulani herdsmen. Anambra belongs to all of us. Our progress is a shared responsibility.”
Soludo, who has been in the U.S. since Sunday, used the event to present a comprehensive report of his administration’s achievements and ongoing challenges. He was accompanied by his Chief of Staff, Ernest Ezeajughi, and highlighted key milestones in infrastructure, education reform, healthcare, youth empowerment, and security.
He also called on diaspora indigenes to embrace the “Think Home” philosophy by investing in their homeland and contributing their expertise and resources to its development.
Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires in Washington, D.C., Ambassador Samson Itegboje, was also in attendance. He underscored the vital role of diaspora engagement in national growth and encouraged more proactive involvement in the country’s affairs.
A lively question-and-answer session concluded the town hall, with attendees expressing enthusiasm for Soludo’s governance style. One participant praised him as “the most transparent and development-focused governor we’ve had,” emphasizing the importance of his candid and sometimes uncomfortable truths.
Olusola Akintonde