By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has called on Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, to wake up and tackle both the internal and external security threats in the state.

IPOB said that the call has become necessary in the wake of increased activities of politically-sponsored criminals and Fulani terrorists masquerading as herdsmen in some communities in Anambra State, saying that it poses an endemic threat to the lives and properties of the affected communities and entire Igbo land, with Anambra as the heartbeat of Igbo Land.

This was contained in a statement by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, and made available to journalists in Awka.

The separatist group said that its intelligence unit gathered that the Commissioner for Homeland Security in the state, Mr. Chikodili Anara (a.k.a Igbakigba), was the man allegedly responsible for insecurity in the state.

The statement partly reads: “This man was the former security adviser to the previous governor of Anambra State. He recruited armed criminals who are being used to intimidate, silence, and kill anyone who questions his rascality. The recruited criminal gangs are used to impersonate IPOB and ESN as they go into kidnapping and car snatching, just to blackmail this noble movement.

“He created and recruited an Anambra Vigilante Group (AVG) to murder anybody suspected to be an IPOB member, which hasn't yielded the desired outcome. We are monitoring his new strategy against IPOB. He will soon get what he is looking for. His voodoo powers will fail him soon.

“The recent influx of Fulani terrorists nicknamed herdsmen in some communities in Anambra is the handiwork of this same Chikodili Anara. Among the communities that are witnessing the surge of strange faces and Fulani terrorists are: Igbariam, Achalla, Amanuke, Ugbene, Ukwulu, Nando and Urum.”

Other towns mentioned by IPOB were, Mgbakwu, Isuanaocha, Ebenebe, the whole of Awka North, including Ayamelum and Oyi local government areas.

IPOB advised Eastern Security Network, Anambra State Command and villagers to be on high alert in those axes witnessing the influx of strange individuals.

“The influx of Fulani herdsmen into these communities mentioned above is causing tensions as the villagers are warned not to go to their farms or risk being killed by the terrorists. Thousands of acres of farm land belonging to our communities in those areas were forcefully taken from the indigenes and sold to the Miyetti Allah terrorist groups by Commissioner of Homeland security, Chikodili Anara (Igbakigba Amanuke).

The group queried if Anambra State Governor is part of the alleged agenda to mortgage Anambra State for the fulanization agenda in return for political favours.

“Whatever their agenda is, IPOB will never allow them to mortgage the future of Anambra State and the entire Ndigbo for their insatiable greed and unfortunate politics. Miyetti Allah and their terrorists will never be allowed to take over any inch of the ancestral lands of our people.

“In the same vein, we call on Igbo youths never to allow themselves to be used as armed men by greedy politicians to help Fulanis capture any community in Igbo Land. That will be suicidal for our survival.

“Those who are in doubt of murderous janjaweeds should see what is happening in Plateau State and many parts of the North. These were innocent Hausa communities that allowed some of their greedy and selfish politicians to sell their lands to Fulanis. Today, these communities have been taken over by Fulani terrorists and the villagers are being massacred without mercy. No responsible person should allow or support his own conquest because of money,” IPOB said.

It therefore called the state Governor to sack his Commissioner for Homeland Security to save Anambra State.

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