Says impunity a contributing factor
Maduako Igbokwe I Friday, March 08, 2024
AWKA, Nigeria – Anambra State Truth, Peace and Justice Commission says insecurity in the state is fueled by organized crime and cultism.
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.
