Soludo Extends Amnesty Courtesy To Gunmen Terrorising Anambra Communities

Governor of Anambra State, Charles Soludo has proposed a pardon for gunmen terrorising inhabitants of the state.

Mr Soludo made this statement on Wednesday, during a press briefing in Awka, Anambra State.

Similar to other states in the South-east, Anambra has recently seen an increase in armed attacks.

Earlier this year, gunmen in the state killed and beheaded a lawmaker. Gunmen who are believed to be associated with the Biafra agitation in the South-east kidnapped and later murdered two former MPs.

In the recent past, hoodlums have targeted the offices of certain local governments in the state.

In addition to attacking government buildings, the gunmen in the state have abducted people and killed a number of residents.

Mr Soludo said his administration was still open to offering amnesty to the gunmen to drop their rifles and be trained to be productive.

“We want to use this opportunity again to appeal to those in the bush and forest – the criminals out there, the kidnappers – to come out. We are offering them the opportunity; to retrain them and help them start a new productive life,” he said.

The governor said it is disturbing that young people were wasting their lives in criminalities, and assured that his government was ready to offer “a new future” to any of them prepared to drop their weapons.

This is the second time Mr Soludo would offer amnesty to gunmen in the state.

The governor first made the offer in July after visiting the detained leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, at the facility of the State Security Service (SSS) in Abuja.