Land disputes, cultism fuelling insecurity in Anambra

The Anambra State Truth, Peace and Justice Commission has stated that land disputes, organised crime and cultism are fuelling insecurity in the state.

The commission’s Chairman, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, stated this on Thursday when he addressed journalists on the commission’s findings and recommendations in Anambra.

Odinkalu said it was wrong for insecurity in the South-East to be blamed on the Indigenous People of Biafra and herdsmen, adding that the insecurity was triggered by land-related issues and other crimes such as bunkering, cultism and other organised criminals fighting to control the resources.

He explained that these organised criminals keep militias that they use to eliminate any person standing in their way, noting that killings in the state predated IPOB and herders.

Soludo, had in June 2022, after three months in office as governor of Anambra, set up the commission and saddled it with the task of unravelling the circumstances behind insecurity which were at its peak in the South-East as of then.

The commission submitted its report to the state governor on Wednesday in the presence of members of the Anambra Executive Council, Secretary of the Commission, Amb. Bianca Ojukwu, and representatives of the United Nations Development Programme.

Speaking further, Odinkalu said, “I am not saying there is no IPOB in Anambra. IPOB only exist at the boarders of Imo State and Anambra South. It might interest you to know that killings in the areas where there is no IPOB is higher than those areas there is IPOB.

“Whenever you hear of violence crime, we assumed it is IPOB. If you liquidate IPOB, will it solve the problem of insecurity? The answer is no. IPOB is a recent development and spill crime. The Eastern Security Network was launched in 2021 and before then there were a lot of kidnappings, killings in the state. Anambra is only state where many prominent persons were killed and nothing happened.

“Serious bunkering is taking place in Anambra and nothing is being done or say about the activities which are seriously fuelling killings and abductions in the state. Places like Ogbaru, Ayamelum and others that are by these coastal line engage in illegal drilling of oil and keeping boys to protect their businesses.

“These criminals controlling resources in the state are creating militias whom they equip with high caliber weapons to sustain their illegalities.

“A lot of people do not connect Anambra State with bunkering. Anambra is close to coastline. When some Americans were killed last time in Ogbaru, people said they were IPOB members, but IPOB is not in Ogbaru because they cannot survive there because of the economic interest of those in bunkering.

“If IPOB survives there, they will take over the business of bunkering and illegal oil mining. Those doing bunkering in Ogbaru will not allow IPOB to survive in Ogbaru just like it is not in the interest of cult group in Obosi to allow IPOB to survive in the area. If IPOB survives in Obosi, they will take over business of the organised criminals in the area.”

He stressed that what is happening in Anambra can be linked to cultism and criminal elements trying to control resources in the state and not really IPOB or herders as wrongly believed.

According to him, the highest killings in the state took place in Obosi, Ogbaru, Onitsha and Awka where there is no IPOB.

He said in the last few years, Obosi alone has buried over 150 youths below the 40 years killed in gang warfare, due to cultism and organized crimes and nothing has been done.

Odinkalu also said that another major cause of insecurity in Anambra is land-related issues, noting that the same organised gang sells land and uses cult groups to fight whoever is challenging them.

“When we met people in Obosi, the people were afraid to say anything because nobody is there to protect them. They are afraid because of the organised crime in the area. Infact the palace secretary of the Obosi traditional ruler, was confirmed to have been involved in a murder by a state High Court, yet he is still retained as palace secretary.

“This is to tell you what is happening in the state. We asked the traditional ruler to suspend him until a higher court clears him, but he has not done that. Most of the killings in the South-East are not done by herdsmen or IPOB, but are carried by Igbo men and women,” he said.

Odinkalu urged Soludo to implement the commission’s report and that the state government should not be afraid to implement the recommendations of any panel in the state.

He said he has confidence that the governor will implement the commission’s recommendations.