Chukwuma Soludo, the Governor of Anambra State, has made a striking assertion regarding criminal activity in the region, stating that nearly all suspected criminals arrested over the past three years are of Igbo origin. His comments were made during a town hall meeting with Anambra indigenes in the diaspora at the Metro Points Hotel in New Carrollton, Maryland, United States.

Governor Soludo, who has been in office for a little over three years, shared his insights on the evolving narrative of crime in the Southeast, revealing that his initial thoughts had aligned with the widespread belief that herders were primarily responsible for the violence plaguing parts of the region. However, he has since shifted his perspective based on arrest statistics, stating, “If we have arrested 100 criminals and kidnappers, 99.99% of them are Igbo youths.”

He condemned the false narratives that have circulated, which suggested that Fulani herders were to blame for the crime wave. “That was part of the lies pushed as propaganda, that the Fulanis were behind it all. That lie led our youths into kidnapping because it became the next lucrative job after ‘Yahoo’ and drug trafficking,” Soludo explained.

The governor made a poignant observation, saying, “Igbos are the ones kidnapping Igbos,” revealing that many of the criminal camps dismantled by security agencies in Anambra were operated by individuals from the local community.

Soludo urged Anambra indigenes living abroad to invest in their home state, emphasizing the importance of contributing skills and resources to foster development. He described a troubling trend where individuals from other regions are participating in what has become known as the “Anambra job,” by acquiring motorcycles and seeking involvement in criminal activities. “They get taken into the bush, trained in the act. But when they are eventually arrested, they claim it’s the Fulanis,” he elaborated.

Confronting the responsibility of crime in the region, Soludo acknowledged that the Igbo community has sought to frame themselves as liberators. Yet, he questioned how those claiming to be protectors are able to sustain themselves in the bush for extended periods. “I came with that same false narrative, that the Fulanis are invading our people… But nobody asked how those claiming to be liberators survive in the forest for one, two, or even six months. How do they feed?”

He stressed his message by asserting, “I want you to quote me right — 99.99% of all the criminals we have arrested are Igbos. All these camps are Igbos.” The governor’s remarks spark a critical conversation on crime, identity, and community responsibility in Anambra and the broader Southeast region.