Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
The Anambra State’s Truth, Peace and Justice Commission has identified political economy of land as the major source of insecurity in Anambra State and not Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) or Eastern Security Network (ESN).
Chairman of the Commission, Professor Chidi Odinkalu, made this known on Wednesday while submitting the report of the Commission’s findings to Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Wednesday.
Soludo had set up the Commission in June 2022 after spending three months in office as governor of Anambra State in a move to find out the real cause of insecurity in the state and by extension, South-East and to proffer possible solution.
Odinkalu, who was accompanied by the Secretary of the Commission, Amb. Bianca Ojukwu, said that the Commission surveyed 66 communities in the state and documented cases of traditional rulers, security agents, Presidents-General (PGs), and community members who have disappeared and remain missing.
According to him, while Lagos is gaining land, Anambra is losing land due to ecological pressure, crises in leadership, and impunity.
He expressed the need to end the use of the term “unknown gunmen,” especially by the media, and develop a 25-year security strategy to reform community governance and establish an agency for the protection of victims and accountability for violence.
Receiving the report, Governor Soludo commended members of the Commission for their dedication and the “historic” nature of the report.
He noted that the report has potential to serve as a national framework for addressing security challenges.
Soludo expressed concern about the impact of crime and violence on young people, calling their deaths a waste when their camps are invaded.
He pledged swift action based on the Commission’s recommendations, outlining plans to dissolve his cabinet into sub-committees in analysing and implementing the recommendations.
The Governor emphasised the need for collaboration with federal agencies, regional governments, security services including the State Vigilante Group, and the local communities, stating his plans to share the report with national security agencies and work with neighboring states to address the cross-border nature of criminal activities.
