A Northern group, Arewa Think Tank (ATT) has commended the Anambra State governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo over the demolition of a hotel used by kidnappers as a hideout in the state.
Governor Soludo had earlier said that his administration was now ready to go to war with criminals terrorising the state.
In a statement by the chief convener of ATT, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, it specifically hailed Governor Soludo for demolishing a kidnappers’ den disguised as a hotel along the Onitsha-Owerri Road a few days ago.
“We are delighted to commend Governor Chukwuma Soludo when we read in a statement shared on the Anambra State New Media X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday about the demolition of a hotel used as kidnappers’ hideout in the State.”
According to the statement, the hotel, known as Udoka Golden Point Hotel and Suites, also referred to as “La Cruise Hotel”, was reportedly a hub for kidnappers and other criminal elements.
The statement added that the hotel had well-partitioned graves of over 30 on the last floor with a shrine.
ATT urged other state governors who are experiencing such criminal activities in their states to remain vigilant and take such proactive action whenever the criminals strike, while calling on Governor Soludo to ensure that security, law and order remain pivotal to the attainment of his vision of a liveable and prosperous homeland.
The group noted that these criminals are not from far places but are within the state because, according to the governor, the genesis of the insecurity in Southeast and, indeed, Anambra State and the zone are not herdsmen, but rather, full-fledged Igbo sons.
“We are glad that governor Soludo has maintained that the massive revolution by his administration in all sectors must be cemented with a robust security system with zero tolerance for criminality.
“The governor described what is going on Igbo land and Anambra as lucrative criminality, assuring that it must stop with the unleashing of ‘Operation Udo Ga Achi’ and ‘Agunechemba,’ with the other combined team of federal security agencies
Those blackmailing his government and with lots of propaganda, would not stop him from fighting criminality, just as he would ensure that Anambra becomes the safest state in Nigeria.
“The character and dynamics of criminality in the Southeast and Nigeria have evolved and become hydra-headed, and therefore the response must be thoughtful, deliberate and comprehensive, involving both the kinetic and non-kinetic approach.
“We want to advise that governor Soludo should establish a robust security system with zero tolerance for criminality, with the special operation aims to upscale intelligence gathering, reward whistleblowers, and enhance rapid response to root out criminals from the state.
“The security system should provide a framework for community/citizens ownership and participation in the sustainable security and social re-engineering of the homeland.
“The criminals are not spirits, but human beings who live among the people, and it is the responsibility of everyone to report any suspicious activity to the authorities to make Anambra a better place”.
ATT called on all heads of autonomous communities, traditional rulers, clergymen, and civil society organizations to join in deconstructing the dangerous narratives that legitimise criminality, not only in Anambra State, but the country as a whole.
“We are excited to hear the governor saying that his administration is determined to take the criminals head-on and quadruple in efforts in security operations,” the statement said.
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