From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
The Unite Nigeria Group (UNG) has urged the Federal Government and state governors to replicate Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo’s security model to address rising insecurity nationwide.
The UNG stated that Anambra’s Homeland Security architecture, which targets the arrest and prosecution of criminal gang sponsors and financiers, has significantly reduced crime in the state.
In a statement by UNG National Convener Sir Peter Okala (JP), the group praised Anambra’s approach for tackling the root causes of criminality rather than its symptoms. The UNG argued that federal and state governments have spent billions of naira on equipment and manpower to combat symptoms like kidnapping, banditry, agitation, terrorism, and fraud, neglecting underlying causes.
Anambra’s campaign against insecurity led to the arrest of alleged fake native doctors, clergymen, and individuals flaunting wealth on social media without verifiable income sources. Okala credited Soludo’s method for sharply reducing kidnapping, assassinations, terrorism, agitation, and fraud in the state.
Former Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Corps Marshal and UNG member Chief Osita Chidoka, speaking at the League of Anambra Professionals (LAP) Executive Committee/Lecture Series in Lagos, described Soludo’s approach as a bold solution for Nigeria’s insecurity. In his paper, “Is Soludo’s Security Plan the Future of Crime Fighting or Just Another Political Gimmick?”, Chidoka revealed that “between July 2023 and June 2024, Nigeria recorded 1,130 reported kidnapping incidents, with 7,568 victims abducted. Kidnappers demanded ₦10.99 billion in ransom but received about ₦1.05 billion, according to SBM Intelligence.”
He added, “While Anambra, statistically one of the safest states, recorded only 29 kidnapping cases—one of the lowest in Nigeria, it has one of the highest ransom payment rates. In 2023, kidnappers demanded ₦300 million from a high-profile victim but ultimately collected ₦350 million! This has made Anambra an attractive target despite its relative safety.
“Anambra is at a crossroads. Crime is evolving, kidnappers are getting bolder, and communities are paying the price. Governor Soludo has unveiled the Homeland Security Law 2025—a radical shift that makes every citizen, landlord, town union, and religious institution accountable for security.
“Tenant registration is now mandatory—landlords must report all occupants or face fines and jail time. Churches and shrines will be held responsible for fraud and criminal activities. Hotels must register guests and install surveillance systems.
“Illegal forest settlements are outlawed to disrupt criminal hideouts. Supernatural fraud—using money rituals and charms to gain wealth—is now a criminal offence.”
Chidoka further noted that “the Anambra State Homeland Security Law, 2025, does more than redefine security structures; it integrates technology into governance, ensuring that real consequences back moral renewal.
“Among its groundbreaking provisions, the law establishes a central command structure for Agunechemba (§3), with a database-driven identity verification system for security operatives to ensure legitimacy and accountability. It mandates tenant and hotel guest registration (§14), surveillance camera installation in commercial lodging spaces (§14(4)), digital crime reporting mechanisms (§13), and structured intelligence-sharing between town unions and local governments (§10, §13, §9).
“These innovations modernise law enforcement, placing Anambra on a trajectory towards proactive, technology-enabled policing. Global examples prove that technology is the backbone of effective security. In Kigali, Rwanda, integrated surveillance and crime reporting transformed urban safety. Dubai, UAE, prevents crime before it happens using AI-driven facial recognition and predictive policing.”
Okala called on National Security Adviser Malam Nuhu Ribadu to adopt Soludo’s model and Chidoka’s insights to overhaul Nigeria’s security framework, enabling citizens to “sleep with both eyes closed.”
He also urged wealthy Nigerians to stop “shameless flaunting of our currencies during their occasions in the face of unemployment and hunger in the land which is one of the major enablers for our youths taking to crimes and criminalities.”