“99.9% of the Criminals We Arrest in Anambra Forests Are Igbo Youths, Not Fulani Herdsmen” — Governor Soludo Drops Shocking Revelation

Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has stirred national debate with a blunt revelation that nearly all the criminals arrested in forest hideouts across the state are young men of Igbo origin, not Fulani herdsmen as widely believed. Speaking during a security briefing with stakeholders at the Government House in Awka on Monday, July 8, 2025, the former Central Bank Governor said data from security operations have exposed a troubling internal threat that contradicts public narratives.

According to Soludo, security forces have repeatedly raided criminal camps in Anambra’s thick bushes and discovered that 99.9% of those apprehended are local youths involved in kidnapping, extortion, and armed robbery—most of whom operate under false flags of liberation movements. “Let’s stop deceiving ourselves,” he declared. “They are not Fulani herdsmen. These are our own boys terrorizing our communities.”

The governor stated that many of these criminals disguise their motives as secessionist or ideological struggles, but investigations reveal they are mostly financially driven gangs using fear and violence to hold communities hostage. “We’ve found torture chambers, shrines, and illegal checkpoints inside forests where they collect ransom and extort our people in the name of freedom fighting,” he added, urging traditional rulers and youth leaders to stop shielding known perpetrators.

Security experts in the state say the narrative of “Fulani herdsmen attacks” in the southeast has for years overshadowed the rise of homegrown terror cells thriving in rural and semi-urban areas. Soludo emphasized that blaming external groups while ignoring local actors has hindered effective policing and community cooperation. He noted that Anambra’s vigilante networks and state police collaborators have made significant progress since the security crackdown began in late 2023.

Public reaction has been swift and intense. While many praised Soludo’s honesty as rare among political leaders, others accused him of betraying his people by “airing dirty laundry” during a time of rising ethnic sensitivity. Youth groups across Anambra and beyond have called for a detailed security report to back his claims, demanding names, identities, and the number of arrests made.

Soludo, however, maintained that peace and truth must take priority over sentiment. “We cannot build a secure future based on lies. If our youths are the problem, then our focus must be on reorientation, job creation, and justice enforcement,” he said. He also warned parents to take responsibility and discouraged the romanticization of violence in popular culture and online spaces.

The governor’s comments have sparked renewed calls for mental health support, rehabilitation programmed, and aggressive youth empowerment initiatives. As Anambra remains one of the most economically vibrant states in the southeast, many are now asking whether poverty, misinformation, or political manipulation is fueling this new wave of internal insecurity.