Charles Soludo has stated that security has significantly improved in Anambra State, declaring that the long-standing sit-at-home practice in the South-East is now effectively over.
The governor made this known on Tuesday during his inauguration for a second term at the Alex Ekwueme Square in Awka.
“The debilitating one-sit-at-home is over, and our schools, markets, businesses, and public servants are back to work. Ndi Anambra says that ours is now the safest, or at least one of the safest states in Nigeria,” Soludo said while addressing dignitaries, including former presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Olusegun Obasanjo, as well as Vice President Kashim Shettima.
“I’m sure many of you flew into Anambra yesterday, being Monday. Previously, it was not possible,” he added.
The sit-at-home order, which saw millions of residents remain indoors every Monday, began as a protest over the arrest and detention of pro-Biafra leader Nnamdi Kanu by the Federal Government.
Highlighting achievements in tackling insecurity, Soludo revealed that security forces had dismantled 62 criminal camps and restored normalcy in eight local government areas previously affected by violence.
“Some 62 criminal camps have been dismantled, and 8 local governments previously under total siege have been liberated,” he said.
The governor also pointed to increased economic and social activity, noting that the state recorded one of its busiest festive periods in decades.
“Anambra had its best Christmas season in decades last December with a mass return and over 10,000 visitors per day to the Solution City every day until the 10th of January,” he stated.
Soludo credited part of the progress to the implementation of the Homeland Security Law 2025, which he said has helped reduce criminal activities across the state.
He also raised concerns about a growing trend among some youths, describing it as a dangerous belief system that promotes wealth without legitimate work, which he linked to rising criminality.
“With the enforcement of our Homeland Security Law 2025, ‘Oso Soludo’ is real,” he said.
He disclosed that several individuals associated with such practices have been targeted by authorities, including Akwa Okuko Tiwara Aki, whom he described as a prominent figure in the trend.
“Hundreds of these dangerous native doctors are on the run. The poster boy of the new phenomenon, Akwa Okuko Tiwara Aki, has pleaded guilty and been sentenced to a jail term. His massive shrine has been destroyed as well,” Soludo said.
The governor emphasised the need for moral and cultural reorientation, stressing a return to values such as enterprise and integrity as key to securing the future of the state.
“We are on a very serious crusade for ethical and cultural rebirth, going back to the roots of what made us great and unstoppable—values of enterprise and integrity, Akuluouno,” he added.
What you should know
The sit-at-home order significantly disrupted economic and social life across the South-East for years, particularly in Anambra.
Its decline signals improved security and growing public confidence in government efforts. Soludo’s administration has combined security operations with legal reforms like the Homeland Security Law to tackle crime. His focus on cultural and ethical rebirth also reflects a broader strategy to address the root causes of insecurity, especially among youths.
If sustained, these efforts could boost investment, mobility, and overall stability in the region.
