Ihiala Must Be Totally Liberated From Criminals – Says Gov Soludo

RAYMOND OZOJI 

The Executive Governor of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo CFR, has declared that Ihiala Local Government must be totally liberated from criminals unleashing terror and mayhem in the area.

Soludo, who made the declaration at the International Convention Centre (ICC) Awka during the official launch of the special intervention force christened Operation Udo Ga Achi and Agunechemba respectively over the weekend, said the Ebonesie axis of Ihiala comprising Mbosi, Azia, Isseke, Lilu, Osumoghu and Ubuluisiuzo must be set free from daredevil gunmen camping in surrounding bushes and holding the communities hostage.

The governor said that there are ongoing clearance operations in the area and that government is determined that the people of Ihiala must be totally liberated from the criminals. That government is coming to Ihiala with a structured force and even if it means declaring Ihiala a war zone, he said government is coming with a war plan and it must defeat the criminals and set Ihiala free again.

Although the governor maintained that the cooperation of Ndi-Ihiala is required for government to achieve total cleansing of the council area, he thanked the federal government and various security agencies for their avowed commitments and their support in the struggle to rid Anambra off organized armies of criminals.

He said the criminals are there at Mbosi, Lilu and other communities in Ihiala laying Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and even cutting roads built with tax payers’ money so that people won’t be able to drive properly but instead fall prey to their machinations through the bad portions they created on the roads.

According to the governor, there is no community the criminals will operate without complicity from the community. He said it is time communities rose up to the situation and borrow a leaf from Ukpor community in Nnewi-South Local Government Area which he said used to have about three major camps of unknown gunmen but today it is one of the safest communities in Anambra State.

Governor Soludo however pointed out that the Ebonesie zone of Ihiala will witness major consistent and persistent intervention but emphasized that the citizens themselves must rise up to take back their communities from the criminal insurgents.

Meanwhile the Mayor of Ihiala Local Government Area Engr. Anayochukwu Ojiakor reiterated the fact that the governor made a very important declaration on Ihiala Local Government, saying that the governor has been fighting tooth and nail to flush criminals out from Ihiala and that all the security agencies have been on 24hours operations in the area to see that Ihiala is liberated from the grip of the hoodlums.

Ojiakor therefore urged the people of Ihiala to support the governor to ensure that the mayhem unleashed on the citizens by the criminals is laid to rest.

The President-General of Mbosi community in Ihiala Hon. Azuka Okoli, who also doubles as the chairman of Ohaneze-Ndigbo Ihiala Local Government chapter, thanked Governor Soludo for listening to the cries and complains of Ndi-Ihiala noting that the governor is ready to make sure that the criminals leave Ihiala Local Government.

Okoli appreciated the governor for extending his amnesty programme to the criminals up to 28th February this year after which they will lead government to the homes of the criminals and their accomplices. He said the criminals have bundled him twice; taken his vehicle and went ahead to burn down his house in Mbosi.

The PG equally informed that the criminals camping in Mbosi town have burnt down the palace of the traditional ruler and also razed down the home of the lawmaker representing Ihiala Federal Constituency Rt. Hon. Dr. Paschal Agbodike and have continued to kidnap the people on daily basis coupled with not allowing them to bury the dead anymore.