Nigerian Igbo Community in Europe boss rejects claims southeast is hotbed of violence

NIGERIAN Igbo Community in Europe (Nice) president Chief Chris Ebede has dismissed suggestions that the southeast is a dangerous place to visit due to incessant incidences of armed robbery and other violent crimes like kidnapping.

 

Over recent years, several parts of southeast Nigeria and Anambra State in particular, have been wracked by all sorts of violent crimes including armed robbery, kidnapping, advanced fee fraud and ritual murderers. This has scared away not only foreign investors but even many Igbos in the diaspora do not visit the region when they go to Nigeria.

 

However, Chief Ebede, has faulted reports circulating in the UK and some countries in Europe saying the southeast is insecure and a no-go area for visitors. He added that the claim that the southeast  is a haven for armed robbers, kidnappers, advanced fee fraudsters and ritual murderers is untrue and unfortunate.

 

According to Chief Ebede, the reports circulating in the UK and some countries in Europe has led to a steady degeneration of social and economic infrastructure in the south-eastern  states. He added that this, coupled with the neglect of the zone by the federal government and the poor and dishonest leadership and governance style of the governors has exacerbated poverty.

 

Chief Ebede added: “Another negative report was about the abysmal lack of  employment generation facilities especially for youths in the zone, which has exacerbated the rate of crime. In this case, that was true in the recent past in Anambra State, resulting, among other things in our people residing outside the state and those in diaspora not visiting home to contribute to the development of the state.”

 

Furthermore, Chief Ebede, who led a delegation of Nice officials on a fact-finding visit to Anambra State, said the  reports did not go down well with Igbos in diaspora. He added that the issue was therefore tabled at the organisation’s biennial annual convention and consequently, the conference resolved to send the fact-finding delegation to the southeast  to investigate the situation on ground.

 

He added that  due to some logistic challenges, the organisation restricted its first mission to only Anambra State, using it as a pilot  project. Chief Ebede did not reveal when his team will return to visit the rest of the geo-political zone.