Entrance gate to the council headquarters set on fire by the gunmen, Thursday afternoon
Gov. Soludo visits Aguata council secretariat burnt by hoodlums, reveals identity of culprits
[From CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki]
Anambra Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, Friday, visited Aguata Local Government Secretariat which was set ablaze by hoodlums on Thursday, stating that none of the miscreants arrested during the raid was from the state.
Soludo said the arson was commuted by fleeing criminals who were dislodged on Thursday at their hideouts by security operatives at Aguluezechukwu in Aguata LGA and Ogboji in Orumba South LGA of the State.
Soludo who was unhappy over the damage done on the LG Secretariat, disclosed that 85 per cent of the arrested miscreants are from a particular state in the South East, while 15 per cent are from another state in the South East.
Soludo said: “armed criminals have been operating as kidnappers, rapists, and so on for close to two years from camps set up in Aguluezechukwu and Ogboji.
“The security personnel in the state clamped down on them and in the process of fleeing, they decided to set Aguata local government area headquarters ablaze”.
Items recovered in their camps, according to Soludo, included registers of kidnapped victims, weapons, charms, and so on.
The Governor said the amnesty offered by his administration to those in the bush, was to enable government rehabilitate them, so they could be useful to the society.
“Those who refuse the offer, shall face the full wrath of the law because they can’t intimidate the people of Anambra State. Anybody in the bush is a criminal and will be treated as such.
“We will come after criminals because the people’s power must triumph. We must create a liveable and prosperous homeland where peace, security and progress must thrive.
“We have extended the olive branch to all genuine agitators, and made extensive calls for those in the bush to come out and shun criminality.
“How do you explain to any sane mind that responsible citizens have elected to pursue a supposed legitimate cause adopting criminal strategies of kidnapping, arson and murder? This is despicable, not permissible and against any known law of humanity”, Soludo said.
