The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has lauded the Governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, for publicly stating that the majority of kidnappings and killings in Anambra and the wider South-East are carried out by criminal elements among the Igbo, not Fulani herdsmen as often believed.
Governor Soludo made the remark during a recent interactive session with Anambra indigenes in the Diaspora at the Metro Points Hotel in New Carrollton, Maryland, United States. According to him, “99.99 per cent of kidnappers and other criminals arrested in the state since I assumed office three years ago have been Igbos.”
In a statement issued on Friday, 11th July 2025, MURIC’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, described Soludo’s assertion as a courageous and honest intervention in the national discourse on insecurity and ethnic profiling.
“This is a landmark declaration. It is indeed an eye-opener,” MURIC said. “We give kudos to Governor Soludo for this honest assertion. It is bold, deep, and far-reaching.”
The Islamic human rights group said Soludo’s statement effectively debunked the prevailing narrative that has unfairly targeted the Fulani as the main perpetrators of violence in the region.
“This incident has demystified the myth of the Fulani criminal. We have always maintained that crime has no ethnicity, no religion,” MURIC stated. “Soludo has proved that he is a Nigerian-president-in-the-waiting.”
The group urged other governors, traditional rulers, and opinion leaders across the country to speak truthfully and promote unity rather than stoking ethnic sentiments. It added that Soludo’s detribalised posture, commitment to facts, and leadership performance make him a credible candidate for national leadership.
“Soludo is a treasure without measure. He speaks truth to his people and refuses to listen to sycophants,” the statement noted.
MURIC also cautioned Nigerians against profiling innocent Fulani individuals, urged for greater empathy, fairness, and objectivity in addressing security challenges nationwide.
