Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has revealed that contrary to widespread assumptions, the vast majority of kidnappers arrested in the state are of Igbo origin, not Fulani.
Speaking during a special edition of Channels Television’s “Politics Today” on Sunday, Governor Soludo stated that data from the state’s security operations showed that 99% of apprehended kidnappers in Anambra are Igbos.
The Governor emphasized the need to move away from ethnic profiling and instead focus on addressing crime through intelligence, law enforcement, and community cooperation.
“Let me be clear: 99% of those we have arrested for kidnapping and other violent crimes in Anambra are Igbos. It is not a Fulani phenomenon as some people often claim,” Soludo revealed.
He noted that many of the kidnappers arrested were discovered to be operating from local communities and forests within the state.
“They are not outsiders. These are people who know the terrain. This is a wake-up call for us to fix our own house,” he said.
Soludo added that his administration has been investing in both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies to tackle insecurity, including partnerships with vigilante groups, improved technology for surveillance, and community engagement.
The Governor urged citizens to support security efforts and refrain from using ethnicity as a scapegoat for criminality.
“Crime has no ethnic identity. We must confront the reality within our communities,” he concluded.
