A political activist and the head mission of Leadership & Accountability Initiative, Hon. Nwazuluahu Henry Shield, has decried growing insecurity in Anambra State, threatening to take the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, to court over his inability to protect the people of the state.
The South East state has witnessed a rising wave of killings and kidnappings in recent times.
In October, gunmen launched an attack in Nibo, a community in Awka South local government area of the state, killing at least 10 persons.
The incident occurred during the Nibo Community’s celebration of the Onwa Asaa, a traditional festival.
Also, last year, three brothers from the same mother fell victim to the relentless cult violent attacks in Awka, the Anambra State capital, with the latest of them identified as Nonso, who was killed in broad daylight in November near Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Amaku, Awka.
According to a close family source, Nonso’s killing is linked to the murder of his younger brother, Buchi, three months ago around Mac Don Eatery’s axis. Their eldest brother had also met a brutal end in a previous attack and the tragic loss has left their mother childless.
Also in November, heavily armed gunmen stormed the Abatete community in Idemili North local government area, targeting security personnel attached to the town’s president-general.
At the end of the attack, at least five persons were killed with the president general of the community fatally injured.
Ebonesie community comprising six different villages has not known peace since Soludo became governor. Indigenes of the communities cannot return home for fear of being kidnapped or murdered.
Troubled by these, Henry Shield, in a letter to the Anambra State Commissioner for Finance under the FoI Act, is demanding details of security vote allocation in the state from March 2022, when Governor Soludo came to power.
In the letter dated January 15, 2025 the Leadership and Accountability Initiative made the following requests, “The total amount allocated as security votes to Governor Soludo since his inauguration in 2022, broken down by year, and month, from March 2022 to date.
“The breakdown of how these funds have been allocated, including the dates and amounts of each disbursement.
“Any related documents, records, or correspondences as to any special security-related Federal Government Intervention(s) and allocation(s), the amounts, and their dates of disbursement.”
He said failure by the state government to respond appropriately within the stipulated timeline will attract a legal action against the state government and the governor.
According to him, the governor has failed in his constitutional mandate of promoting the security and welfare of Anambra people and is not fit to remain in office.
