A pan-Igbo socio-cultural group, Igbo Youths for Positive Change, has faulted claims by the Indigenous People of Biafra, that the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has secretly set up Ebubeagu to eliminate its members in the state.
The group, on Thursday, described the allegation against the governor as not only false but, “malicious, unfounded and unsubstantiated,” while daring the IPOB group to provide evidence of their claims.
The IPOB, through its spokesman, Emma Powerful, had claimed in a press statement on Wednesday, that Soludo had secretly set up Ebubeagu militia to eliminate its members in Anambra.
However, addressing journalists in Awka, the National President of the Igbo Youths for Positive Change, Mr Chinedu Obigwe, said it was highly condemnable that IPOB had resorted to peddling unfounded allegation against Soludo in a bid to attract undue sympathy to their group.
Obigwe insisted that only the state vigilante operatives, which had been in existence before Soludo took over as governor, are operating in Anambra and not Ebubeagu.
He said the governor only strengthened the vigilantes through empowerment so as to enable them deliver the needed result in terms of security.
He said, ‘The allegation made against Soludo by IPOB is unfounded and cannot be substantiated. The undisputed fact is that there is nothing like Ebubeagu militia in Anambra State, rather what we have is Anambra Vigilante Group operatives.
“It is better for IPOB to come out boldly and tell the whole world that they are the ‘unknown gunmen’ terrorising Anambra State instead of lying against Soludo.
“The Anambra Vigilante Operatives and other security agents are only going after the criminals masquerading as ‘unknown gunmen.’
“They are not going after innocent people, so I do not see the reason why IPOB will be raising false alarm and telling lies against the governor.
“This same IPOB distanced themselves from the activities of the criminals terrorising Anambra State and masquerading to be unknown gunmen but their resort to blackmail Soludo is now turning them to the sympathisers of the same unknown gunmen criminals.” He added.
He further stated that presently in the state, it is a well known fact that security agents are dealing mercilessly with the so called unknown gunmen, which according to him, are the efforts of the strengthening of the vigilantes by the governor.
He urged the general public to disregard the unfounded allegation by IPOB, saying there is no iota of truth in the allegation.
He said, “There is nothing like Ebubeagu militia in Anambra. The local vigilantes helping other security agents to secure the state are Ndi Anambra, and they are doing that as a sacrifice for the betterment of our beloved state.
“Whether anybody likes to hear this or not, Soludo deserves to be commended for the way he is tackling all the problems facing the state. We cannot pretend to be blind to see all the good things our governor is doing in our state.
“The insecurity challenges he is tackling did not stop him from delivering dividends of good governance in Anambra. An adage says that when a man is doing well, you praise the person for him to be spurred with the praises to do more.
“As a matter of fact, Soludo is doing marvellously well and we are happy with his good work in our state,” Obigwe added.
