Nigerian governor launches new security outfit, pledges N5m for whistleblowers

Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State has launched a new security outfit to address worsening insecurity.

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At the launch in Awka on Saturday, Mr Soludo explained that the new security outfit, Agunachemba, would complement the efforts of the federal security operatives, mainly the police.

The event was also broadcast live on Channels TV and streamed live on social media.

The governor also signed the Anambra State Homeland Security Bill 2025 into law, establishing the Agunechemba as a vigilante group in the state.

“Anambra Homeland Security Law 2025 not only establishes our new vigilante architecture, Agunechemba but also provides a framework for community, citizens ownership and participation in the sustainable security and social re-engineering of our homeland,” he said.

‘How we will tackle insecurity in Anambra’

Mr Soludo also launched a new security operation in Anambra State to tackle rising attacks in the South-eastern state.

He said the security operation known as “Operation Udo Ga -Achi” would involve personnel of the newly created Agunechemba, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and troops of the Nigerian army, among others.

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The governor also announced a reward of up to N5 million for whistleblowers who provide information that will aid the arrest of kidnappers or armed robbers or the discovery of their hideouts in the state.

“We are taking decisive action on security with the formal launching of operation ‘Udo Ga-Achi’ because we are determined to fight criminality and ensure Anambra becomes the safest state,” he said, appealing rto esidents to support the operatives with useful security information.

Continuing, Mr Soludo said: “For whistleblowers, anyone that gives us credible information that leads to the arrest of any kidnapper or armed robber or information that leads to the rounding up of criminals in a camp will be paid a bounty of any amount up to a maximum of N5 million, depending on the class of criminal.

“We encourage each community to design and execute its own security programme. On a monthly basis, any community with zero crime will get a reward of N10 million.”

ALSO READ: Soludo places N10 million bounty on killers of security operatives in Anambra

The governor disclosed that the new security initiative will involve the deployment of 2,000 personnel from various security agencies, including the police, the Nigerian Army, the navy, the State Security Service, and NSCDC.

He said the state government had procured 200 patrol vehicles, which will be deployed to help the operatives in covering all parts of the state.

“This operation is designed to tackle the rising insecurity in Anambra, including kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, drug epidemic, criminal idolatry, land grabbing, touting and other violent crimes,” he said.

Mr Soludo vowed that with the new security arrangement in the state, his administration would rid the state of criminality by confronting the criminals “head-on.”

The governor stressed residents must participate in the new security arrangement by ending the conspiracy of silence in the state.

“For our long-term survival, we must rise up and fight together. If you see or know something, say or do something. Silence means complicity,” he said.