Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has debunked the widely held belief that Fulani herdsmen are responsible for the spate of kidnappings and killings across the South-East. According to him, the overwhelming majority of criminals arrested in Anambra in the last three years have been Igbos.
Speaking during a town hall meeting with Anambra indigenes in the Diaspora held at Metro Points Hotel in New Carrollton, Maryland, USA, Soludo declared:
“99.99 per cent of kidnappers and other criminals arrested in the state since I assumed office three years ago have been Igbos.”
The governor, who has been in the U.S. engaging with Ndi Anambra since Sunday, presented an honest and data-backed report of his administration’s efforts across infrastructure, security, education, and youth empowerment.
“Let’s Stop Deceiving Ourselves”
In a widely shared video from the event, Soludo dismantled what he described as a “dangerous and misleading narrative” that blames Fulani herdsmen for the South-East’s insecurity.
“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.”
Soludo added that most individuals hiding under the guise of freedom fighting are “opportunistic criminals” enriching themselves through violence and fear.
Call to Diaspora: “Think Home”
The governor urged Anambra citizens abroad to embrace his “Think Home” agenda by investing in businesses, infrastructure, and education in the state. He called for collective responsibility in securing and rebuilding Anambra.
He was joined at the town hall by Chief of Staff Ernest Ezeajughi and Ambassador Samson Itegboje, Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires in Washington, D.C., who both emphasized the critical role of the Nigerian Diaspora in national development.
A lively Q&A session followed his address, with several attendees applauding Soludo’s forthrightness.
“He’s the most transparent and development-focused governor we’ve had. At least he’s telling the truth—even if it’s uncomfortable,” one attendee remarked.
