http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/03/europeans-wrongly-believe-igboland-region-criminals-ebede/



By Akoma  Chinweoke

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.