Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, (HURIWA) on Saturday, lambasted the Governor of Anambra State, Chukwuma Soludo for failing to stem the unprecedented attacks; rapes, killings and kidnappings in the state since he took over in May 2022.
HURIWA has also asked the Imo State governor Hope Uzodinma to perish the idea of engaging in academic arguments with political opposition over the extremely excruciating state of insecurity in Imo State and find a practical solution to the myriads of violent attacks.
The Rights group also urged Governor Uzodinma to request for military posts to be erected in the axis of terrorism around Akokwa Ama-Edward and Arondizuogu whereby several attacks have happened these past few days.
HURIWA is hereby appealing to the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya to instruct the General Officer Commanding 82 division to set up military posts in Akokwa Ama-Edward and Arondizuogu to stop the frequent violent attacks which have been left to become a daily routine just as the Rights group said locating military and Mobile Police posts in Akokwa Ama-Edward and Arondizuogu will help to check the daredevil attacks that have led to the destruction of property and mass killings.
HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement said it is very unfortunate that Soludo has not achieved any of his campaign promises on security in seven months in office despite boasting that he would accomplish them within 100 days in power.
The group said more reprehensible is the fact that Soludo has been playing politics on national television instead of settling down to work alongside security agencies to bring peace and stability to the state.
HURIWA, therefore, asked Soludo to buckle up and stem these tides of insecurity or step down to let a more competent governor emerge.
The group’s statement is coming hours after no fewer than 17 students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Anambra State sustained varying degrees of injury while an unconfirmed number of female students were raped during a midnight robbery attack in the off-campus hostels located along Ifite road in Awka, the state capital.
The robbers, heavily armed with guns, axes and matchets, reportedly went from room to room, hostel to hostel, raping female students and dispossessing them of their phones, iPads, money and other valuables unchallenged.
”Lives are no longer safe in the state as abductions, farmland invasion and killings by gunmen have become a norm despite Soludo’s false assurances that security challenges in the state have abated.
HURIWA’s Onwubiko said, “Rapes, cult killings, banditry and outright terrorism are rife in Anambra but Governor Chukwuma Soludo is busy playing politics of election and positioning himself as a potential presidential candidate in the near future, actively undermining Peter Obi and South East chances in next month’s election.
“It is unthinkable that students are raped in Awka near the seat of power but every day Soludo is on national television, playing politics and giving false impression that security challenges have subsided in the state. Soludo better stem these tides of insecurity or step down to let a more competent governor to emerge.”
HURIWA also urge the opposition People’s Democratic Party in Imo State to partner with the Imo State administration in finding lasting solutions to the heightened state of insecurity because if the violence continues then the chances of any successful election in the state are remote and therefore the opposition won’t have the opportunity to seek the mandate of the people.
What is at stake in Imo State is the survival of the state and the wellbeing of the citizens. It is shocking that many attacks have happened around a particular place in Akokwa Ama-Edward and Arondizuogu for two weeks consistently but the Imo State administration has no solution to it but has gone ahead to pick up petty quarrels with the opposition PDP.
The lives of the people of Ideato North, Onuimo and Okigwe local government Areas are under increasing threats but all that we hear are empty rhetoric and verbal exchanges in the media between APC and PDP in Imo State. This is disappointing and shocking.
The Imo State government needs to wake up from slumber and get the Army to set up a physical presence in Akokwa Ama-Edward and Arondizuogu for security purposes and not for extortion and these exercises should be well-funded by the government because the primary duty of the government is to guarantee the security of lives and properties of the citizens.”
