Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo has called on armed groups and bandits to surrender their weapons and embrace peace during the Armed Forces Day Remembrance in Awka.
At the Armed Forces Day Remembrance event held at Ekwueme Square in Awka, Anambra State Governor Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo urged armed groups and bandits operating in forests and bushes nationwide to lay down their weapons and reintegrate into society. He emphasized that insecurity has plagued Nigeria for nearly two decades, almost becoming the new normal, but commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his renewed vigor in addressing the issue through collaboration with the armed forces and external agencies.
Soludo expressed confidence that this collective effort would soon conquer the terror. He specifically addressed Biafran agitators, noting that the Nigerian Civil War ended on January 15, 1970, and there is no justification for continued violence. '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.'
The governor called on South-East youths to abandon violence and redirect their energy towards national participation and development, stating, 'We cannot continue to fight a civil war that ended 56 years ago by hiding in the bushes and killing ourselves.' He reflected on the event's significance: 'We are here to remember and to say ‘never again.’ Their supreme sacrifice shall not be in vain.'
Soludo praised security agencies in Anambra for reclaiming eight local government areas from criminal activities and thanked the Navy, Army, Police, Immigration, Civil Defence, and others for their sacrifices. The ceremony included a wreath-laying, gun salute, intercessory prayers, and the release of white pigeons symbolizing peace. State Nigeria Legion Chairman Chief Ben Ezeagbogu appealed for support for aging veterans and their families.
