The Anambra State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has confronted the state governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, over his denial of the prevailing insecurity in the state.
Reports of kidnappings in the Ukwulu community, situated near the state capital, have surfaced, with some victims sharing their harrowing experiences recently.
This has led to calls for the governor to take decisive action to dismantle the gang responsible, reportedly identified as Fulani herdsmen.
Responding to these concerns, the governor’s Press Secretary, Mr. Christian Aburime, dismissed the incidents as mere fabrications.
In response to the dismissal of the incidents as falsehoods, the APC urged Soludo to address the issue of crime through concrete actions rather than through press releases.
In a press release signed by Okelo Madukife as the publicity secretary, the party stated: “This is not how effective governance operates.
If the relevant authorities within the government thoroughly analyzed the detailed narrative provided, the appropriate course of action at this point would be to acknowledge the narrative.
“The logical next step, as anticipated by the majority of sensible individuals in Anambra State, is to initiate a thorough and discreet investigation into the information presented in the anonymous exposé by establishing a means to identify the author.
“The statement released by the Anambra State Government through its Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Christian Aburime, regarding a significant security issue in Ukwulu, Dunukofia LGA of Anambra State, is premature, absurd, and alarming, and therefore deserving of condemnation.
“The bewildering statement, notably not originating from the Commissioner for Information (if there is one in the Anambra State Government), dismissed the accounts of a couple expressing their apprehensions about an assault by a specific group in a particular area with a history of similar attacks, and politicized the issue by attributing it to the actions of political opponents.
“Allowing Dunukofia LG, which is home to the Zone 13 headquarters of the Nigerian Police, covering Anambra and two other states, to be embroiled in such a dispute would be a significant blight within a single four-year term.
“We implore the Government of Anambra State to take action and fulfill its responsibilities, while urging all other commentators, whether traditional leaders, NGOs, or other attention-seekers, to refrain and allow due investigation of the matter at hand.”
The party criticized government officials for merely issuing press releases from Awka instead of devising practical strategies to address the situation.