The Convener of the Recover Nigeria Project, Comrade Osita Obi, has said that most criminal activities in Anambra State and across the South-East are carried out by indigenes, not outsiders. He insisted that communities know the offenders living among them but often choose to protect them instead of exposing them.
In an interview with Vanguard, Obi alleged that insecurity persists because some stakeholders—including certain government officials and security operatives—benefit from the chaos. “When you talk about insecurity, I am of the opinion that some government functionaries are benefitting from it. Some top police officials are also involved,” he claimed.
Obi stressed that no community in Anambra State or anywhere in Igboland can claim ignorance of the criminals operating within its borders. He warned that shielding wrongdoers only deepens insecurity and undermines the fight against violence. “When we decide to shield the criminals among us, what will government do? Until we expose them, we’ll keep suffering,” he said.
He also lamented cases where suspects handed over to security agencies are mysteriously released, putting whistleblowers at risk. “If I expose a criminal and the person is arrested today but released tomorrow, what happens to my safety?” he asked.
The activist dismissed claims that Hausa-Fulani groups are mainly behind the insecurity, insisting that Igbo people themselves bear the larger responsibility. “Most of the crimes here are committed by our brothers. I’m not saying others are innocent, but Hausa-Fulani contribute only about 2 per cent—the remaining 98 per cent is done by us,” he stated.
Obi called on traditional rulers, local government chairmen, and residents to rise and expose those behind the killings, kidnappings, and robberies in their communities. He emphasized that peace can only return when people stop protecting criminals for personal or political gain.
“We must tell ourselves the truth. Until we stop defending evil in our communities, we can’t have peace in Anambra or the South-East,” Obi concluded.
