Leader of the Nigerian Igbo Community in Europe, NICE, Chief Chris Ebede, has faulted reports circulating in the United Kingdom and some countries in Europe which describe South-East Nigeria (Igboland), Anambra State in particular, as insecure and a no-go area for visitors.
According to him, the claim that the South-East is a haven for armed robbers, kidnappers, advanced fee fraudsters and ritual murderers is untrue and unfortunate.
He pointed out that the reports circulating in the United Kingdom and some countries in Europe had led to a steady degeneration of social and economic infrastructure in the south-eastern states, coupled with the neglect of the zone by the Federal Government and secondly by the poor and dishonest leadership and governance style of the governors in spite of bogus claims of achievements.
“Another negative report was abysmal lack of employment generation facilities especially for youths in the zone which has exacerbated the rate of crime in the zone which, in this case, was true in the recent past in Anambra State, resulting, among other repercussions, in our people residing outside the state, those in diaspora not visiting home to contribute to the development of the state,” Ebede, who led a delegation of NICE on a fact-finding visit to Anambra, stated.
He explained that the reports, which did not go down well with Igbos in diaspora and, therefore, were tabled at the organization’s biennial annual conference/convention and, consequently, the conference resolved to send the fact-finding delegation to the South-East to investigate the situation on ground.
He added that due to some logistic challenges, the organization restricted its first mission to only Anambra, using it as a pilot project.
