IPOB Condemns Governor Soludo's Statement That ‘99% of Arrested Criminals in Anambra Are Igbo’, Calls for His Resignation

IPOB Condemns Governor Soludo's Statement That ‘99% of Arrested Criminals in Anambra Are Igbo’, Calls for His Resignation The Indigenous...

IPOB Condemns Governor Soludo's Statement That ‘99% of Arrested Criminals in Anambra Are Igbo’, Calls for His Resignation

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has criticized Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State, labeling him a "threat to Igbo existence" and unsuitable for public service.

This criticism arose after his recent remarks suggesting that approximately 99% of Igbo youths are responsible for a surge in kidnappings and murders in the South-East, rather than the commonly blamed killer herdsmen.

In a statement released on Thursday and signed by IPOB’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, the organization accused Soludo of making "reckless, inflammatory, and genocidally provocative statements" that could provoke violence against innocent youths in the area.

“Soludo has opened the gates of hell with his treacherous and unconscionable remarks,” Powerful stated.

“He has handed the enemies of Ndigbo a poisoned weapon laced with blood, a weapon that will be used to justify extrajudicial killings, mass arrests, illegal raids, and genocidal actions disguised as ‘security operations.’”

During his address in the United States last week, Governor Soludo asserted that the majority of kidnappings and murders in Anambra were committed by fellow Igbos, contrary to the general belief that armed herdsmen were responsible.

Nevertheless, IPOB contended that the governor’s assertion was devoid of investigative support and merely served to jeopardize the safety of young individuals in the region.

The group associated the claims with what it termed a wider campaign of state-sponsored violence and alleged aggression from Fulani militias in the South-East.

“What kind of leader, in the face of rampant Fulani herdsmen invasions and military atrocities against his people, turns around to accuse his own youths without evidence?” IPOB queried.

IPOB further claimed that Soludo’s remarks resembled those of Ukpabi Asika, the contentious administrator from the Biafran War, accusing the governor of betraying the Igbo people to curry favour with Nigeria’s political elite.

The Freedom movement, which persistently advocates for an independent Biafra, also reiterated its demand for the release of its imprisoned leader, Nnamdi Kanu, asserting that Soludo has forsaken previous attempts to secure Kanu’s liberation.

“Soludo’s real aim is now clear, to maintain favour with his Fulani masters by helping sustain the illegal and unconstitutional detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” IPOB claimed.

“The same Soludo who wrote a pretentious article in 2023 calling for Kanu’s release has now betrayed that position.”

The group challenged the governor to provide evidence for his claims about youth involvement in violent crimes. It reiterated that IPOB remains a “peaceful and lawful self-determination movement” with no links to violence or kidnapping.

IPOB warned Soludo to desist from “dangerous rhetoric” and demanded his resignation, stating, “Such a man has no business in public office. He should resign and seek psychiatric help immediately.”

The IPOB’s latest confrontation comes amid increasing security concerns in the South-East, where incidents of kidnapping, armed attacks, and military raids have surged.

Governor Soludo, a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has previously called for a political resolution to the Biafran agitation, including dialogue over the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu.

However, his recent remarks appear to have triggered renewed tensions between the state government and pro-Biafra activists.