• Igbokwe accuses Igbo of insecurity, exonerates Fulani herdsmen
• Group urges review of security architecture

The governorship candidate of the African Action Congress (ADC) in the November 8, 2025, governorship election in Anambra State, Chioma Ifemeludike, has condemned the killing of a businessman, Ifesinachi Onyekere.
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Onyekere, also known as “Fish Magnet,” was abducted by gunmen at his residence in Ezinifite Community, Okpuno, Awka South Local Council of Anambra State, in a late-night attack on Saturday and was subsequently killed.
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The governorship hopeful, in a statement yesterday, urged the state government and relevant agencies to take immediate and ‎transparent steps to investigate the murder and bring those responsible to justice. ‎She said the death of the businessman is a painful reminder of the deep insecurity that now defines daily life across communities.
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Meanwhile, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Joe Igbokwe, has alleged that Igbo are behind the deteriorating security situation in the South-East.

In a post on his official Facebook page yesterday, Igbokwe exonerated Fulani herdsmen, who have been accused of perpetrating the killings and kidnappings in the region. He wrote: “The blatant and pathological lies about the killings and destruction in the South East can no longer stand.

“It is Igbo killing Igbo; it is Igbo destroying Igboland and blaming Hausa/Fulani Herdsmen. This is not our culture. This is sad.”

The Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development (FENRAD) has expressed concern over the escalating spate of kidnappings, cult-related killings, and other violent crimes currently gripping Anambra State., urging a comprehensive security architecture review.

It stated that recent months have witnessed a disturbing rise in criminal activities across urban and rural communities in Anambra, including Nibo, Abatete, Ihiala, Awka, and parts of Anambra South, resulting in multiple deaths, widespread fear, and serious disruptions to economic and social life.

The Executive Director of FENRAD, Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, in a statement, said that the tragic mass killing at a traditional festival in Nibo, the abduction of high-profile individuals, and the targeting of students and commuters underscore the urgent need for a sustainable and inclusive security strategy.

He acknowledged the proactive steps taken by the Anambra State Government, particularly through the Operation Udo Ga-Achi and the enactment of the Anambra Homeland Security Law 2025.

“These efforts reflect a growing recognition of the scale of the threat. However, current developments also expose structural weaknesses in the state’s broader security architecture and community policing framework.

“We, therefore, call for a comprehensive review and restructuring of Anambra State’s security architecture, with particular attention to the overhaul of community policing, making it go beyond mere rebranding of local vigilante outfits.