The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has slammed Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, over his recent remarks that 99.9% of criminals operating in the South-East are of Igbo origin. The group described the statement as damaging, misleading, and a major blow to the region’s image before foreign investors and the global community.
Ohanaeze expressed outrage at what it called “lamentable misstatements” made by Governor Soludo during the recent Igbo USA Town-Hall Meetings in the United States. The governor’s claim, the group said, grossly misrepresents the reality of insecurity in the region and undermines efforts to attract foreign investment and rebuild confidence in the South-East.
According to a statement issued on Thursday by the factional Deputy President-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, and Chief Thompson Ohia, the comments made by Soludo risk painting the entire Igbo nation in a negative light. The group warned that such generalizations not only inflame public sentiment but also threaten the economic viability of a region already battling the effects of political marginalization and social instability.
Ohanaeze noted that criminal elements in the South-East should not be exclusively attributed to Igbo youths, adding that the real threat lies with external aggressors, especially Fulani militias, who have been linked to numerous killings and kidnappings across the region. The organization questioned why Governor Soludo failed to acknowledge these known threats in his remarks, especially when security reports point to the involvement of foreign elements in some of the most heinous crimes committed in recent times.
“The assertion that 99.9% of criminals in the South-East are Igbos is categorically false and reckless,” the statement read. “This is not just a misstep but an unacceptable betrayal of trust. It is highly irresponsible for any leader, let alone a governor, to go on an international platform and tarnish the reputation of his own people.”
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Ohanaeze accused Soludo and other South-East governors of neglecting their core responsibilities by shifting blame to the same citizens they are expected to protect. The group criticized what it described as leadership failure and moral collapse among the governors, who it claims have refused to take decisive action to curb insecurity, choosing instead to scapegoat their own people.
The group further condemned the failure of the South-East Governors’ Forum to follow through on its July 2, 2024, resolution to engage President Bola Tinubu on the deteriorating security situation in the region and the urgent need for the release of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu. According to Ohanaeze, this lack of action is a major contributor to the region’s insecurity and a betrayal of promises made to the people.
Raising concerns about potential spillovers from the recent massacre of over 200 people by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Benue State, Ohanaeze warned that similar attacks could be imminent in Igbo communities across Anambra, Imo, Enugu, Ebonyi, and Abia States. The group called on the governors to immediately establish and empower local government-based vigilante groups to defend their communities against these looming threats.
“The time for political posturing is over,” the statement warned. “Our markets, schools, and public spaces are becoming targets, and we can no longer afford silence or inaction. The governors must rise to their responsibility, embrace the resilience of the Igbo spirit, and defend our people before it’s too late.”
Ohanaeze emphasized that the reputation of the South-East must be protected at all costs, urging leaders to speak responsibly and act decisively to ensure that the region is not further demarketed to both foreign investors and internal stakeholders. As insecurity escalates, the group insists that the narrative must shift from blame to bold and strategic action.
