The Governor of Anambra State Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo has declared that the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the embattled leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB), may not address the security challenges in the SouthEast region.
Soludo said this on Tuesday during a press briefing at the Governor’s Lodge in Anambra state.
Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Service (DSS) after he was extradited from Kenya in June 2021 and charged with treasonable felony.
Mr. Soludo argued that criminals have hijacked the Biafra movement, using it as a cover for illegal activities, including kidnapping, armed robbery, and cultism.
He stated it point-blank that these criminals, driven by greed, no longer have any connection to the original Biafra liberation movement.
Soludo also noted that most of the criminals arrested in Anambra were Igbo, with a large number of them coming from outside the state.
The former CBN Governor refuted any connection between Kanu’s release and the cessation of crime, adding that the criminals involved were now focused on monetary gain rather than any political cause.
Soludo further lambasted the support some local communities provide to these criminals, which has made it rather difficult for security forces to take action.
“The so-called agitators have transformed into organised criminal gangs.
“They hide in forests, kidnapping innocent citizens for ransom, and they justify their atrocities under the pretext of Biafra. Let us be clear—this has nothing to do with any liberation movement. Criminality has taken on a life of its own. These people have tasted blood, and now, money is their motivation.
“Kanu and IPOB have repeatedly dissociated themselves from these criminals.
“Even if Nnamdi Kanu is released today, I’m not sure they would listen to him because what they now pursue is wealth, not liberation. They have become enemies of the people they claim to protect. Who are they fighting for when they kidnap and kill their own people?
“Our people know these criminals. They are our brothers, cousins, and neighbours.
“It’s unfortunate that in some communities, people contribute food to sustain these criminals hiding in the forests. How do you fight insecurity when people see criminals as heroes and the police as the enemy?” he said.