Data shows that Soludo and other south-east governors have made region safest in Nigeria

With the help of the federal government, the South East governors have made the South East the safest region in Nigeria. This assertion is supported by empirical evidence.

The progress made in the security space in Anambra is particularly interesting. Because Anambra is one of the richest states in the region – in terms of concentration of successful entrepreneurs – a lot of criminals have been attracted to the state in the last 16 years. In fact, in 2013, a former deputy governor, Dr. Chudi Nwike, was killed by kidnappers after a part of the 30-million-naira ransom demanded by the kidnapers was paid. This is one of the many high profile security related fatalities that had plagued the state before the coming of the Soludo-led administration.

But the war declared by Governor Soludo on these criminals has started to yield results. These results are very visible.

The recent killing of Nabeeha al-Kadriyar and Folashade Ariyo by bandits in the Federal Capital Territory and the increasing cases of kidnapping in the country have put issues related to security on the front burner.

This column notes that President Bola Tinubu has rekindled the war against criminality in the country and is doing everything to curb this menace. But President Tinubu – though the commander-in-chief of the armed forces – cannot do it alone. He needs the support of state governments and Nigerians.
On the regional level, data shows that the efforts put by the South East governors are beginning to turn things around.

According to data from The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), between 2022 and 2023, insecurity related fatalities decreased in Anambra by 34.4%; Enugu by 46.4%; Ebonyi by 49% and Abia by 51.85%. Unfortunately, it increased in Imo State by 4.4%. For context, within this period, there was a 124% and 41% increase in insecurity related fatalities in Sokoto and Benue, respectively.

As a region, the South East had the lowest incidents of insecurity in the country. According to ACLED, in 2023, the South East had 533 insecurity related incidents; North Central had 857; North East had 823; North West had 971; South South had 588 and South West had 554. There was a 16% reduction of security related incidents in the South East between 2022 and 2023 – the highest reduction in the country.

According to SBM Intelligence – an Africa-focused market intelligence, security analysis and strategic consulting firm – between July 2022 and June 2023, while 27 kidnap victims were killed in the South East, 217 were killed in North East and 29 were killed in the South West. Again, the South East had the lowest number of deaths and kidnap incidents within this period.
Though more needs to be done in the South East, these improvements are as a result of concerted efforts to improve security in the region.

In Anambra, the continuous training and equipping of community-based vigilante groups and the intensive grassroots sensitization on security matters have resulted in improved security. The use of hotlines to aid the public in providing information to security personnel have also been impactful.

The Anambra Security Trust Fund has also helped to mobilize resources to bolster security in the state.

The journey to secure Anambra has not been easy. In February 2022 – before Governor Soludo was sworn in – eight out of the 21 local governments in Anambra were terrorized by gangs. This led Governor Soludo to declare curfews in these local governments in May 2022 – barely two months after he was sworn into office.

Today, the war the governor declared on criminals is yielding fruit. Last Christmas, many cultural events that had been suspended in Anambra because of insecurity came back to life. A good example is the Ukpor Day in the rich town of Nnewi.

Nnewi is one of the richest communities in Nigeria – in terms of concentration of millionaires. Six years ago, Forbes Africa referred to Nnewi has ‘’The Small Town of the Super Rich’’. The relative wealth in Nnewi had attracted criminals in the last 6 years to Anambra and these criminals had terrorized the people of Nnewi. And many in Nnewi had responded by running away from the city.

But all these have changed and continues to change in Nnewi and the South East, in general. Last Christmas, there was a mass return of people in the South East. The social media in Nigeria was abuzz with pictures of people showing off their mansions in the South East.

The governors of the South East need to be supported in their efforts to make the region safer. The opposition in various south eastern states should not play politics with matters related to security.

Nwankwo is the Special Adviser to Soludo on Special Projects