Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has passed the Anambra Homeland Security Law and also unveiled special security operations, named “Udo Ga-Achị” and “Agunechemba”.
Speaking during the ceremony held at the International Convention Centre, Awka, on Saturday, Soludo described security, law and order as pivotal to the attainment of the state’s vision of a liveable and prosperous homeland.
He said the state government is resolute in its determination to tackle insecurity and ensure that Anambra is liberated from the grip of the criminal elements, who he said are now engaging in “lucrative criminality” in the name of agitations and liberation.
He said the move is a massive revolution by his administration to cement a robust security system with “zero tolerance for criminality”, adding that the sum of N5 million would be paid to anyone who offered useful information that would lead to the apprehending of kidnappers.
The governor noted that criminals now hide under the guise of a liberation struggle to engage in all manners of lucrative criminalities such as armed robbery, cultism, kidnapping, and even idolatry for ransom, thereby fuelling insecurity in the state.
He said, “January 17, 2025, marked our two years and 10 months in office. True to our promise last month to take decisive actions on security, it is auspicious that we mark this anniversary and begin the new year with the events of today.
“Today, we are here to unveil the Anambra Homeland Security Law, which the state Assembly worked vigorously to pass. The second event is the formal launching of our special intervention on security called, ‘Operation Udo-ga-chi’. It is the new security architecture we have now.
“The third one will be to formally inaugurate the state Anambra Traditional Rulers Council because the traditional rulers have a very important role to play in this process. Ndi Anambra, security, law and order remain pivotal to the attainment of our vision of a liveable and prosperous homeland.
“I want to assure you that despite the unique challenges of lucrative criminality adorned with deceptive ideology and propaganda, we are determined to fight criminality and ensure that Anambra becomes the safest state in Nigeria.
“The character and dynamics of criminality in the South-East and Nigeria have evolved and become hydra-headed, and so our response must be thoughtful, deliberate and comprehensive, involving both the kinetic and non-kinetic agenda.”
He added, “For example, kidnapping for ransom is not new. I recall that my 78-year-old father was kidnapped in 2009, and he spent 15 days with his abductors in the bush. Earlier that year, the oil mogul, Chief Anthony Enukeme (Tonimas), Chief Paul Okonkwo (Pokobros), Chief G.U.O Okeke, etc were kidnapped in the state. It was as if Armageddon had come.
“In 2021, governorship candidates could not campaign, especially in the Anambra South, to the extent the candidate of the Labour Party was kidnapped on the way to a political rally, and to date, he has not been found.
“My predecessor tackled the menace head-on. However, about 20 months before we assumed office in March 2022, a variant of the criminal gang under the guise of separatist agitation emerged with command-and-control centres.
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“They killed policemen and soldiers at checkpoints and collected their guns. They attacked and burnt down many police stations. Sadly, most stakeholders kept mute. They set up camps in the bushes and forests and labelled themselves as ‘liberators’.
“Most people did not pay attention and very few cared to ask how these people with arms will be feeding from month to month or year to year or how they will be funding their operations.”
The governor added that the state is investing heavily in logistical support, adding that the special forces for ‘Operation Udo-ga-Chi’ and ‘Agunechemba’ will have over 2,000 personnel dedicated to special tasks, with the personnel drawn from the army, police, DSS, NSCDC and other security agencies.
Soludo also disclosed that over 99 per cent of the criminals arrested are Igbo, and about 70 per cent are not from Anambra State, adding that the criminals flock to Anambra because that is where the money is.
He stressed that the state government is determined to liberate the people of entire Ihiala communities and environs from the hands of the criminals holding them hostage.
While urging the criminals to surrender their arms, the governor asked them to embrace the amnesty window offered by the state government, which he said is still open till the end of February.
“Kidnapping for ransom has quickly become the most lucrative criminal enterprise—better than drug trafficking or oil bunkering. They are now engaging in lucrative criminality in the name of agitations and liberation struggle.
“The NBS reported that about N2.2 trillion was paid as ransom in 2024. We estimate that for every one Naira reported, there are probably about 5-6 Naira not reported (amounting to more than N10 trillion in ransom payments in 2024.
“No sector of the economy, with little capital investment, could muster that kind of revenue/return). With a culture that celebrates wealth without work and does not ask people for their source of livelihood, even kidnappers and drug barons are also celebrated.
“Besides kidnapping and armed robbery, there are other related challenges which reinforce each other—cultism, drug epidemic, land grabbing and touting. The Anambra Homeland Security Law 2025 attempts to provide a framework to progress along the above pillars.
“It not only establishes our new vigilante architecture (Agunechemba) but also provides a framework for community/citizens ownership and participation in the sustainable security and social re-engineering of our homeland. It’s a complement to policing by special intelligence. It will have special forces on idolatry, touting, drug and cultism,” the governor added.
Soludo also urged the people to collaborate with the government in tackling insecurity, adding that “security is a collective responsibility, government alone cannot do it, security agencies alone cannot do it. It requires the collective effort of the community. In fact, 99 per cent of the criminals arrested are Igbo. They engaged in lucrative criminality and were not liberators, as they claim.
“For our long-term survival, we must fight together. If you see something, say something. We are ready to fight. In the next few weeks or months, they will come out to harass us in order to scare us, but we have seen them before, they will give way, just like they gave way before.”
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