Soludo urges armed groups, bandits to lay down weapons

By : Osiberoha Osibe

Date: 15 January 2026 8:13pm WAT

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The Governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has urged armed groups and bandits operating in forests and bushes

The Governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has urged armed groups and bandits operating in forests and bushes

The Governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has urged armed groups and bandits operating in forests and bushes across the country to lay down their weapons and embrace peace.

Soludo also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his efforts in tackling insecurity, noting that the menace had festered in Nigeria for nearly two decades.

He expressed confidence that sustained collaboration among the armed forces would lead to victory, assuring Nigerians that peace would prevail in due course.

Speaking during this year’s Armed Forces Day Remembrance at Ekwueme Square, Awka, Soludo said, “I want to pay special tribute to the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, President Bola Tinubu, for the seriousness with which he has taken on the issue of insecurity.

“It’s important to remind ourselves as a nation how we got to where we are, and how long it has taken us to get here. For almost two decades now, this problem has festered, almost becoming the new normal.

“But with the renewed vigour we’ve seen and collaboration from members of the armed forces and external agencies, we’re confident that this terror will finally be dealt with and decisively conquered. Mr President, kudos to the great work and keep it up.”

Soludo noted that the Nigerian Civil War officially ended on January 15, 1970, saying there was nothing left to justify continued violence in the name of Biafran agitators.

He called on youths who claim to be fighting for Biafra to abandon violence, leave the bushes, and reintegrate into society.

“I want to call on our brothers in the bushes who claim they are liberators to come out,” he said. “Human beings do not live in the bush. We appeal to you to come out and participate meaningfully in building the state and this country.”

He further urged the South-East to redirect energy towards active participation in national affairs and collective development.

“We cannot continue to fight a civil war that ended 56 years ago by hiding in the bushes and killing ourselves. January 15 marked the official end of the civil war, and that chapter of our history must remain closed,” Soludo said.

Reflecting on the significance of the occasion, he added, “We are here to remember and to say ‘never again.’ Their supreme sacrifice shall not be in vain.

“We also remember the men and women who are still in active service—those who stay awake to protect us while we sleep peacefully in our homes.”

The governor commended security agencies in Anambra State for their contributions, saying, “I want to thank all the security agencies in the state—the Navy, Army, Police, Immigration, Civil Defence, and others who have sacrificed to maintain peace. Today, we celebrate your commitment to protecting Anambra State.”

He disclosed that through the sacrifices of security personnel, eight local government areas previously affected by criminal activities were reclaimed.

In his remarks, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Legion, Chief Ben Ezeagbogu, lamented that many Legion members are old and incapacitated, with insufficient government support for their families.

He appealed to well-to-do citizens and philanthropists to assist them.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, alongside other State Service Chiefs and dignitaries, participated in a solemn wreath-laying ceremony, gun salute, intercessory prayers, and the release of white pigeons—a symbol of collective gratitude, remembrance, and hope for lasting peace.

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