Organized crime, cultism, not IPOB, herders fueling insecurity in Anambra – Commission

Governor of Anambra State Prof Charles  Soludo had   in June 2022 established a  commission to investigate the remote and immediate causes of insecurity in the state and by extension, South East region.

Chairman of the commission,  Prof Chidi Odinkalu who addressed journalists on  the commission’s findings on Thursday said it is wrong to blame the Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB and herders for the insecurity in Anambra .

According to him, the crime in Anambra state are caused by  land related issues, bunkering, cultism and other organized criminals fighting to control the resources.

Odinkalu said these people keep militias who they use to eliminate any person standing on their way. He also said that alot of things had happened before the IPOB and herders in the state, noting that killings in the state predated  IPOB.

“I am not saying there is no IPOB in Anambra . IPOB only exist in boarder of Imo State and Anambra South. It might interest you to  know that killings in the areas where there is no  IPOB is higher than areas where there is IPOB. Whenever you hear of violence crime ,we assumed it is IPOB .If you liquidate IPOB, will it solve the problem of insecurity?The answer is no.

IPOB is a recent development and spill crime.The Eastern Security Network was launched in 2021 and before then there were alot  of kidnaping, killings in the state. Anambra is the only state where many prominent persons were killed and nothing happened” he said .

According to Odinaka, serious bunkering are taking place in Anambra and nothing is being done   about the activities which is seriously fuel killings  and abductions in the state.

He said that places like  Ogbaru, Ayamelum  and others that are   by the coastal line engage in  illegal drilling of oil and keeping boys to protect their businesses.

According to him, these criminals controlling resources in the state are creating militias whom they  equip with high caliber weapons to sustain their illegalities.

“A lot of people do not connect Anambra State with bunkering. Anambra state is close to coastline. When some Americans were killed last  time in Ogbaru, people said  they were IPOB members, but IPOB is  not in Ogbaru because they cannot survive there  because of the economic interest of those in bunkering. If IPOB survive there , they will take over the business of bunkering and  illegal oil mining. Those doing bunkering in Ogbaru will not allow IPOB to survive in Ogbaru just like it is not in the interest of cult group in Obosi to allow   IPOB to survive in the area.If IPOB survives in Obosi  they will take  over  business of the organized criminals in the area” he said.

He reiterated that what is happening in Anambra is all about  cultism and criminal elements trying to control resources in the state and not really IPOB or herders as wrongly believed.

According to him, the highest killings  in the state took places in  Obosi, Ogbaru, Onitsha and Awka where  there is  no IPOB.

He said in the last few years, Obosi alone has buried over 150 youths below  40 years  killed  in gang warfare due to cultism and organized crimes and nothing has been done .

Odinkalu also said  that another major cause of  insecurity in Anambra is land  related issues , noting that the same organized gang  sell land and use cult groups to fight whoever is  challenging them.

“In Obosi people said  they cannot say anything because nobody is there to protect them. They are afraid because of the organized crime in the area. In fact the palace secretary of  Igwe Obosi was confirmed to have been involved in  murder by a state High Court, yet he is retained as palace secretary. This is to tell you what is happening in the state . We asked the traditional ruler to suspend him until a higher court clears  him but he has not done that ” he said .

He also stated that most of the killings in south East are not done by herdsmen or IPOB but are carried by Igbo men and women.

Odinkalu stated that the governor should religiously implement the commission’s report and that government should  not be afraid to implement recommendations of any panel in the state. He said he has confidence that Governor Soludo will implement the commission’s recommendations.