Sit-at-home order largely defeated in Anambra — Soludo’s Aide

The Special Adviser on Security to Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State, Ben Chiobi, has declared that the Monday sit-at-home order has been “largely defeated” in the state, insisting that Anambra is among the safest states in Nigeria.

Chiobi made this known during an interview with journalists at the National Summit on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism held on Friday in Abuja.

The summit, themed “The Evolving Landscape of Violent Extremism: Emerging Issues in Niger and the Sahel,” was organised by the PCVE Knowledge, Innovation and Resource Hub in partnership with PAVE.

According to him, residents no longer face attacks or intimidation for carrying out their businesses on Mondays, stressing that fear rather than actual threats was keeping some communities indoors.

“In Awka and other major towns, banks and businesses operate freely on Mondays. In other locations, people are still unnecessarily afraid, but nobody has been kidnapped, stopped, or harmed on a Monday in months,” Chiobi said.

The aide urged the media to help dispel fear by showcasing evidence of normalcy across the state. He described the sit-at-home situation as more of a “psychological issue” than a physical threat.

Chiobi also dismissed claims that Anambra had become a hub for criminal gangs, describing such allegations as false and politically motivated. He explained that most threats originated from outside the state, often through digital platforms.

Noting Governor Soludo’s strategy since assuming office in March 2022, Chiobi pointed to the establishment of the Anambra Vigilante Service, the Udo Ga Adi Task Force, and the Anambra Homeland Security Law, which mandates monthly community-level security reports from local leaders.

“We moved away from ad hoc responses to a systemic, homegrown security architecture,” he said.

He further noted that traditional rulers and community leaders play a central role in intelligence gathering and early warning systems, while the government maintains constant consultations with them.

Beyond security enforcement, Chiobi said the Soludo administration is addressing poverty and unemployment as root causes of crime. Measures include:

• Free education from primary to secondary school

• Bursary support for tertiary students

• Free antenatal and prenatal healthcare

He explained that these initiatives aim to ease financial burdens on families and reduce crime incentives.

Chiobi called on residents to resist divisive propaganda and support the government’s security initiatives.

“Security is everybody’s business. If you see something, report it. Don’t spread fake news. We must all work together to keep Anambra secure,” he said.