Governor Charles Soludo has declared that Anambra State is currently the safest state in the country, citing a sustained improvement in security and the dismantling of criminal strongholds.

Speaking during a live media chat in Awka on Friday, Soludo said the state had not recorded any major security incidents in the past three to four months.

The governor disclosed that more than 60 criminal camps had been cleared, while normalcy had been restored in eight local government areas previously under the control of criminal elements.

“It is safe today to say Anambra—we claim to be the safest from all statistics—that within three to four months, we haven’t had any major incident of any sort,” he said.

Soludo attributed the improved security situation to increased public confidence and a surge in visitors during the festive period. According to him, the state recorded one of its most vibrant Christmas seasons in decades, with over 10,000 visitors arriving daily.

He further stated that the long-standing sit-at-home order linked to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which had disrupted socio-economic activities in the South-East, was no longer effective in the state.

“The sit-at-home is over. Schools, markets, factories, and public services are back to work. Flights have also resumed on Mondays,” the governor said.

Highlighting measures taken by his administration, Soludo pointed to key reforms in the state’s security architecture, including new legislation targeting touting and cultism, as well as the establishment of dedicated security outfits such as Agunechemba and a special intervention force, Ugodachi.

He contrasted the current situation with the conditions he inherited in 2022, noting that residents previously faced severe threats, including the inability to display political party affiliations or use branded vehicles without risking their lives.

“In 2021, it was impossible for anybody to wear a political party’s paraphernalia or drive a branded vehicle around Anambra—you would be killed. Some people were killed,” he said.

Despite the progress, Soludo acknowledged that achieving absolute security remains unrealistic, describing it as a continuous process.

“There is no place with over 100 per cent security. It’s not a destination but a work in progress,” he added.