Soludo: How we are dealing with criminal elements in Anambra

Maduako Igbokwe l Sunday, June 26, 2022

 

ONITSHA, Nigeria – Anambra state Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo has stated that state government is flushing out hoodlums terrorising the state wherever they are hidden.

Soludo who made the statement on Saturday  at an event to mark his 100 days in office  said that criminality and agitation are not the same thing. According to him, the state government was ready and prepared to reclaim the state from those who had hijacked it.

“In Anambra state kidnapping has become a lucrative enterprise and many people are getting involved because they believe they make more in the state.

Anambra state is light and it has no business with darkness. We are frontally dealing with them and as I talk to you we have dislodged most of them in their hideout” he said.

He expressed satisfaction that  communities have taken over the fight and they are volunteering information about the criminals.

“No forests, bushes and houses will be safe for criminal elements. We will smoke them out,” he said.

According to him, “Criminals invaded us and they are mostly not from Anambra’ state because money is involved. Anybody that tells you that he is agitating for anything it’s false but because they are doing whatever because of lucrative criminal enterprise, “he said .

He also gave a score card of his 100 days in office which he said has been tilted with the zero oil revenue since February this year. He specifically, decried the worrisome zero oil revenue to deal with the humongous challenges in the government and governance systems in the state.

He said that though he is not a fan of 100 days in office, but said that within the short period his  administration had embarked on addressing fundamental issues towards ensuring a liveable Anambra’ state where law and order thrives.

“Government has been faced with the daunting task of insecurity aimed at routing criminal elements, priority for youth empowerment, redefining the character of governance ,  cleaning mountains of refuge, efforts at massive road construction, recruitment of teachers which would take greater  part of the rainy season and several other policy programmes aimed at repositioning the state.

“We just clocked first hundred days in office since you employed me and Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim as Governor and Deputy Governor respectively. I am not a fan of this hundred days, I prefer to give a comprehensive annual report and look forward to the first one in March 2023.”

“To be sure, the last hundred days has been bumpy and challenging as expected with insecurity and red treasury being the most impossible.  Since February 2022, the contribution of oil revenue from the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC)  to the federation account has been zero and many states have difficulty paying salaries,” Soludo stated.

“We have spend the last hundred days addressing some key foundational issues, part of which are to make some key appointments,  mobilize the people of the state to take back the state from criminals, domestic and comprehensive attack on criminals, reverse the 2022 budget, declaration of State of Emergency on roads and traffic and preparation to flag of over 220 kilometers of road constructions, “he said .

He assured that his governments is  unrelenting in tackling the challenges facing the state. According to him,, despite the challenges the people are united and collaborating  with the state government and  security agencies in fighting criminal elements bushes and houses of criminals.