Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo of Anambra State has received the final report of the Anambra Truth, Peace and Justice Commission, established by his government to investigate the remote and immediate causes of insecurity in the state and by extension, South East region.
At the event held at Government House Awka, Governor Soludo commended the members and the Commission’s chairman, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, for his dedication and the “historic” nature of the report.
The Governor highlighted the report’s potential to serve as a national framework for addressing security challenges.
Governor 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-committes in analyzing and implementing the recommendations.
The Governor emphasized 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.
The Governor reiterated his commitment to achieving sustainable peace in the region, assuring citizens that he will “read every sentence” in the report and ensure its recommendations are implemented for a safer future.
He stressed the importance of community involvement, including religious institutions, in tackling the challenges, describing the necessary approach as a “crusade” requiring collective action.
Earlier, Chairman of the Commission, Professor Odinkalu, thanked the Governor for entrusting them with the task.
Professor Odinkalu who was the former Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission, noted that the biggest structural factor in violence is the political economy of land, not IPOB/ESN.
He argued that while Lagos is gaining land, Anambra is losing land due to ecological pressure, crises in leadership, and impunity.
“The Commission surveyed 66 communities in the state, documenting cases of traditional rulers, security agents, presidents-general (PGs), and community members who have disappeared and remain missing”.
Professor Odinkalu however, emphasized the need to end the use of the term “unknown gunmen,” especially by the media, develop a 25-year security strategy to reform community governance and establish an agency for the protection of victims and accountability for violence.
A delegation including the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu, miiembers of the Anambra Executive Council, Secretary of the Commission, Amb. Bianca Ojukwu, and representatives of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) attended the event.
Credit: The Nigeria Lawyer