~ Hails Tinubu’s renewed vigour on security
Our Correspondent
Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has declared that no section of the country is marginalising the Igbo, urging people of the South-East to stop fighting a war that ended 56 years ago and instead embrace peace and full participation in nation-building.
Soludo made the remarks on Thursday during the wreath-laying and parade ceremony to mark the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration at the Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka, where he also commended President Bola Tinubu for what he described as renewed vigour and seriousness in tackling terrorism and other forms of insecurity across the country.
The governor expressed confidence that with the increased commitment of the Federal Government, the lingering security challenges confronting the nation would be decisively overcome.
He paid tribute to President Tinubu as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, noting that insecurity had festered for nearly two decades and was almost becoming a new normal before the current administration’s renewed efforts.
According to him, the collaboration among the armed forces and other security agencies had given fresh hope that terrorism would be finally dealt with. He praised the President for the resolve shown so far and urged him to sustain the momentum.
Soludo, however, expressed concern over what he described as the low interest shown by people of Anambra State and the South-East in general in enlisting into the Nigerian Army and Police Force.
He warned that such attitude was counter-productive and amounted to self-marginalisation, stressing that a nation could not be built by citizens who chose to opt out of its core institutions.
He revealed that during the last recruitment exercises into the army and the police, Anambra recorded the lowest expression of interest in the country, a development he described as worrisome.
The governor called on youths in the state to enlist in the armed forces, stressing that Nigeria belonged to all its citizens and that full ownership of the country required active participation.
Soludo said if the trend continued, future generations would complain of the absence of officers of Anambra or Igbo extraction in the security architecture of the country, despite having refused to participate when opportunities were available.
He insisted that nobody was marginalising the Igbo, adding that exclusion often resulted from deliberate withdrawal from national responsibilities.
The governor also called on those he described as brothers and sisters still hiding in forests and bushes under the guise of liberation struggles to lay down their arms and embrace peace.
He said such individuals were not liberating anyone but had rather become bandits, kidnappers and terrorists, stressing that human beings were not meant to live in forests.
According to him, the era of terror was over and must come to an end, adding that the state government had extended olive branches to those still willing to surrender.
He assured that those who laid down their arms would be assisted to become useful and productive citizens, but warned that anyone who chose to continue on the path of violence would face decisive action.
Soludo commended the military and paramilitary agencies for their sacrifices and commitment to the safety and security of Anambra State, assuring them of increased support and cooperation from his administration.
He noted that security efforts in the state had yielded results, including the recovery of eight local government areas previously under the grip of criminal elements.
He said the recent Christmas period witnessed what he described as a mass return of residents and visitors to the state, attributing the peaceful celebrations to improved security.
The governor also paid tribute to fallen heroes who laid down their lives during the civil war and in subsequent years to keep Nigeria united, peaceful and prosperous.
He described the Armed Forces Remembrance Day as a moment to honour widows, widowers and families of fallen officers, assuring them that the sacrifices of their loved ones would never be forgotten.
Soludo also acknowledged members of the Nigerian Legion who had retired from active service but remained committed to the nation.
Reflecting on the significance of the occasion, the governor said it was also a time to remind the South-East that the Nigerian civil war ended 56 years ago and that the youth, especially in Anambra State, must accept this reality and focus on building a peaceful and prosperous future within a united Nigeria.
