By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

Governor of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, has revealed that 85 percent of those arrested in connection with gun attacks in various parts of the state are from a particular state in the South-East, while the remaining 15 percent are from another state in the same zone. Soludo added that no Anambra indigene was among them.

The Governor spoke earlier today, Friday, April 8, 2022, when he visited his local government headquarters in Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area of the state, which was attacked yesterday by gunmen. He described the attack as a reprisal by criminal elements, whose camps were on the same day stormed by security agencies, with most of them arrested.

Soludo said: “Yesterday (Thursday), security operatives smoked out some criminals camped at Ogboji and Aguluezechukwu, and the reprisal is the burning of Aguata LGA Headquarters by some of the fleeing criminals.

“Part of the items found in these criminal hideouts is a register of kidnapped victims and the ransom paid. This is not who we are, never can we, under any guise allow criminals the latitude to define who we are.

“Ndi Anambra are irrepressible. They are out to reclaim their land. To restore peace, and set the pace for the building of a livable and prosperous homeland. I repeat, anyone in the bush with a gun is a criminal and would be fiercely resisted by the people.”

“We have extended the olive branch to all genuine agitators, and made extensive calls for those in the bush to come out and shun criminality.

“How do you explain to any sane mind that ‘responsible citizens’ have elected to pursue a supposed legitimate course adopting criminal strategies of kidnapping, arson and murder? This is despicable, not permissible and against any known law of humanity,” Soludo added.

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