By Our Correspondent
Oseni Asked to Stop “Instilling Fear” in Anambra, APGA Chieftain Says
By Our Correspondent
An All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) chieftain, Evangelist Chinedu Obigwe, has cautioned Arise Television anchor, Rufai Oseni, against what he described as the use of the station’s platform to “instil fear” among the people of Anambra State.
Obigwe issued the statement on Thursday, insisting that recent comments attributed to Oseni on the security situation in Anambra were unfair and misleading.
“It is important to make it clearly known to Nigerians that Governor Soludo did not wake up one morning and start implementing measures to end the Mondays sit-at-home order initiated by criminal elements in Anambra and the South-East at large,” Obigwe said.
According to him, the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, first addressed insecurity as the “root cause of the problem” before moving to end the sit-at-home order.
“Before taking steps to end it, Governor Soludo tackled insecurity as the root cause of the problem. He took the battle to the doorsteps of criminal elements in various Anambra bushes and dealt decisively with them,” he stated.
Obigwe further said the impact of the government’s security strategy was evident during the last Christmas season. “The last Christmas celebration was celebrated in the state without any reported case of major crime, courtesy of the security measures put in place in our state by Governor Soludo’s administration,” he said.
He maintained that the prevailing atmosphere in Anambra no longer supports narratives of widespread fear or lawlessness. “As at today, Anambra people are happily enjoying a crime-free state,” he added.
The APGA chieftain faulted what he described as Oseni’s comparison of Anambra with a North-Western state where bandits reportedly kidnapped 177 persons. “On this note, it is wrong for Rufai Oseni to be comparing Anambra with a state in the North-Western part of Nigeria where bandits kidnapped 177 people. Such a thing cannot happen in Anambra State,” Obigwe said.
He also claimed that communities previously troubled by criminal activities had been secured. “Lilu, Orsumogho and other areas under the grip of criminal elements in the state have been liberated by our gallant security operatives,” he said.
Using strong language, Obigwe added: “If you put your ears on the ground, you will hear that Governor Soludo has turned Anambra State to hellfire for criminal elements. Hardly will you hear that people committed crime in the state and go scot-free. It’s no longer happening in our state.”
He urged Oseni, whom he described as a “respected journalist,” to exercise restraint. “Respected journalists like Rufai Oseni should talk with decorum, and knowing Governor Soludo’s antecedents in Nigeria, he is expected to use the Arise TV platform to encourage the good work our beloved governor is doing in our state,” he said.
Obigwe stressed that restoring normal economic and social activities on Mondays was a shared responsibility. “The battle to reclaim Anambra State from criminal elements obeying the Mondays sit-at-home is a collective battle for the betterment of our state,” he noted.
Declaring his support for the governor, he concluded: “I stand with Governor Soludo on this. Enough is enough to every Monday sit-at-home.”
