Newly sworn-in Governor of Anambra State, Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo has appealed to members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and other armed militia groups in the Southeast to surrender their arms and embrace peace-cum-amnesty.
The Anambra helmsman lamented that his state loses about N19.6 billion daily whenever the proscribed IPOB — a separatist group — enforces its self-styled sit-at-home order in the Southeast.
Soludo, a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) made the plea on Thursday after taking the oath of office to become the fifth democratically elected governor of Anambra State.
The oath was administered to him by the State Chief judge, Justice Onochie Anyachebelu at about 9:45am, in the Anambra State Government House.
Speaking after he was sworn in as Governor, Soludo assured residents that he was ready to deliver on his campaign promises, saying the state would win and excel under his watch.
Recall that Soludo was elected on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). He won the Anambra governorship election with 112,229 votes in late 2021.
Reeling out what his administration will focus on, the new Governor said the security of Anambra remains one of his top priorities.
According to him, several groups in Anambra as well as Southeast in general are disguising under freedom fighting to wreak havoc in the region. The governor also appealed to the IPOB to dialogue with the government, saying that “dialogue in good faith” is key to restoring peace in Anambra state.
He noted that the sit-at-home order being enforced by Nnamdi Kanu-led IPOB is costing Anambra a lot of accruable revenue.
Consequently, Soludo appealed to the aggressive freedom fighters in the state to surrender their arm and embrace peace.
In his words, “For starters, I totally endorse the recent statement of March 7, this year by the Joint body of southeast Council of traditional rulers and bishops and Archbishop’s on the Peace and Conflict Resolution to requesting for a tripartite discussion between them, the presidency, and the Southeast governors to deal with the conflicts in the southeast, especially in relation to Nnamdi Kanu, the Indigenous People of Biafra and the Eastern Security Network.
“There is no conflict that dialogue in good faith cannot resolve. We will restore peace and security in Anambra and will seek active collaboration and cooperation of all stakeholders.
“So the IPOB, ESN, and myself, as well as the disparage groups in the forest, it is time to interrogate the purpose and the means of your campaign. Ladies and gentlemen, today politicians that play politics with insecurity, you are riding a tiger, the current trajectory is a road to desolation. Let us get round the table and talk. Let us form a consensus. The conspiracy of silence by some community leaders must end, if you see something, say something or do something.
“Securing the Igboland and Nigeria must be our collective responsibility. Let those in the forests come out, surrender your guns and let’s work together to rehabilitate and empower you to contribute positively to peace and prosperity of our homeland.” The new Governor stated.
Soludo who observed that most of Anambra citizens depend on daily income to feed their family expressed concerns that: “Every day there is sit at home these poor masses lose an estimated 19.6 billion in terms of lost income in Anambra State alone.”
The Governor continued: “Due to the protracted breakdown of law and order businesses are relocating outside of Igboland and there is growing unemployment and traders who used to come to shop in Onitsha, Aba etc. are going elsewhere. Who is losing by forcing our children the future of Igboland to stay at home instead of being in school? Even the critically sick people, including pregnant women cannot go to hospital on the day a sit-at-home is declared. We are harming our future. I hereby challenge any of the disparage groups that claim that it is not part of the senseless killings and kidnappings to step out and show leadership by joining hands with us to do something about it. If you love our homeland, there is no place for bloodshed.”
