Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Former Minister of Education, Professor Ihechukwu Madubuike, and the Concerned Citizens of Igbo Nation in Diaspora (CCIND) have condemned Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, over his claim that Igbo youths are responsible for 99.9% of crimes in the South-East.
Soludo reportedly made the statement during a recent address in Maryland, USA—drawing criticism from various quarters, including prominent Igbo voices who described the remarks as reckless and unsubstantiated.
Professor Madubuike said it was disappointing that an intellectual of Soludo’s calibre would make such a sweeping generalization without proof. He challenged the governor to disclose how he arrived at the figure and what steps he had taken to address the issue.
“If 99.9% of kidnappers in Anambra are Igbo, as he claimed, where are they? What has he done to rehabilitate them? How many jobs has he created for these youths?” Madubuike asked.
The elder statesman questioned the sincerity behind the statement, insisting that Soludo must go beyond rhetoric and take responsibility for youth empowerment and security in the state.
Similarly, CCIND, in a statement signed by its spokesperson Emeka Livingstone, accused Soludo of endangering Igbo youths through “unguarded utterances” that lack evidence and context.
“The Governor’s statement, made without presenting data or court convictions, portrays Igbo youths as the sole cause of insecurity in the region while exonerating violent herders who have long been implicated in attacks across the South-East,” the group said.
CCIND warned that such comments could embolden external aggressors and worsen the profiling and mistreatment of Igbo youths.
The group cited a recent incident in Ogbaru LGA, where three armed Fulani herders allegedly chased and shot at a farmer. According to CCIND, Soludo has remained silent on that incident while blaming local youths.
“We urge our leaders to refrain from reckless statements that put their own people at risk of extrajudicial killings and human rights abuses,” the statement added.
