By Our correspondent
A rights group, International Society for Civil Liberty and Rule of Law( Intersociety) has called out the Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, over the alleged serial kidnappings and raping of Anambra citizens at Ukwulu in the Dunukofia Local Government Area of the state by Fulani herdsmen recently.
Recall that one Linus Chukwuma and his friend as well as a woman, her husband and maid were allegedly separately kidnapped and raped at the Ukwulu forest.
Reacting to the development in a statement signed by its board of trustees chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi and others, Intersociety condemned Soludo’s handling of the situation.
The rights group said,” The reaction of the Government of Anambra State under Prof Charles Soludo to the abominable and atrocious incident was totally reprehensible, hastily conclusive, criminally judgmental, and primitively cowardly.
“Apart from being clear evidence of vicarious liability and complicity, it is also a mortal sin against God and unbecoming of “a traditional red-cap Governor”.
“The Governor and Government of Anambra State had reacted through the Media Aide to the Gov, Mr. Christian Aburime by describing the chief victim’s account as “another concocted narrative, void of credibility and mischievously syndicated to paint a scenario of insecurity within the peaceful State”.
“The most annoying of it all was the Governor’s manifest bias and reliance on widely perceived compromised third parties (Traditional Throne of Ukwulu and Anambra State Police Spokesman’s) accounts as basis for jumping into such hasty conclusion and cowardly reaction.
“The manifestly bias position of the Government of Anambra State is a clear testament of cover-ups and cowardly handling of lives and properties of the defenseless citizens of the State.
Continuing, Intersociety said,”It further puts a big question mark on ceaseless massacre of defenseless citizens using Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and blood thirsty security operatives-both conventional and unconventional.
“The Governors reaction was also laden with fundamental loopholes including absence of detailed investigation, reliance on possibly biased or compromised third parties as basis for jumping into hasty conclusion, disregard to family-hood and the victims’ personal dignity; and failure to extend humanitarian services to them; having been abominably battered and sexually abused.
“The Governor could not even invite and have a fatherly talk with the victim-family. Governor Charles Soludo’s reaction is also tantamount to issuance of license to the Jihadists to “abduct, kill, rape, extort and terrorize” more defenseless citizens of the state and their properties.
“By the action of the Governor, too, he can sufficiently be accused of aiding and abetting Fulani Herdsmen-led jihadism in the state. This is more so when the chief victim’s account is too factual and real to be false or concocted. Her account has also exposed the Government of Anambra State as being too afraid and cowardly to expose and go after the Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and their jihadist atrocities across the State.
The group’s statement further read,”It may be correct to say that “the fear of Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen as the beginning of wisdom for Soludo’s Government” has become a major security and safety policy direction of the Government of the State under his watch.
“Intersociety had in its June 5, 2023, statement called on Gov Charles Soludo of Anambra State to conduct detailed investigations into a strong allegation made by the leaders of the Pro-Biafra Movement that his Homeland Commissioner and the State Ministry of Homeland Security have been aiding the incursions by the Fulani Herdsmen Jihadists into Awka North and neighboring areas”.
“Commissioner Chikaodili Anara was also accused of “being the brain behind the general security challenges across the state including using AVG (Anambra Vigilante Services) to murder unarmed citizens and label them “IPOB/ESN members”; in addition to allegation of “procurement and forceful seizure of strategic communal lands for Jihadist Fulani settlements”.
“Among the communities said to be witnessing the unchecked influx of Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen in Anambra State, according to the allegation are: Igbariam, Achalla, Amanuke, Ugbene, Ukwulu, Nando, Urum, Mgbakwu, Isuanaocha, Ebenebe, Awkuzu; all located in Awka North, Ayamelum and Oyi Local Government Areas.
“The Governor and Government of Anambra State have since then turned deaf ears and refused to investigate the matter till date.”
