Killings, abductions in South-East perpetrated by Igbo criminals, not Fulani herdsmen — Gov. Soludo

Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State has said that majority of kidnappings and killings in Anambra and other South-East states are perpetrated by Igbo criminals and not Fulani herdsmen as widely believed.

Soludo stated this during an interactive town hall meeting with Anambra indigenes in the Diaspora, held at the Metro Points Hotel in New Carrollton, Maryland, United States.

According to Soludo, 99.99 per cent of kidnappers and other criminals arrested in the state since he assumed office three years ago had been Igbos.

The governor has been in the US engaging with Anambra indigenes since Sunday to present a detailed report of his three-year stewardship, including key milestones and challenges facing his administration.

In a video circulating in the social media, the governor was seen dispelling what he called a dangerous and misleading narrative, stating that it is not Fulani herdsmen, but homegrown criminal elements terrorising the South-East.

The governor claimed many of those who claimed to be liberators hiding in the forests are, in reality, Igbo youths involved in violent and lucrative criminality for personal enrichment.

“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?

“In my three years and three months in office, 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”.

He urged the indigenes in Diaspora to key into the ‘think home’ philosophy and to invest in the homeland and contribute their skills and resources to its growth.

The governor was flanked by his Chief of Staff, Ernest Ezeajughi, where he delivered a no-holds-barred account of his administration’s achievements and challenges, hghlighting strides in infrastructure, education reforms, health care delivery, youth empowerment, and security.

Also in attendance at the occasion was Nigeria’s Charge d’Affaires in Washington, D.C., Ambassador Samson Itegboje, who emphasised the crucial role of diaspora engagement in national development.

A lively question-and-answer session followed, during which Soludo responded to questions on governance and security just as his responses drew loud applause, with many attendees praising his performance in office.

“He’s the most transparent and development-focused governor we’ve had. At least he’s telling the truth — even if it’s uncomfortable”, a respondent at the event said.