The Anambra State Government has announced its resolve to confiscate and seal off any facility found to be used as a holding centre for child beggars, as part of a sweeping crackdown on criminality and human exploitation across the state. This decision was reached during the 10th meeting of the Anambra State Executive Council (ANSEC), held at the new Government House in Awka.
The government’s position is anchored on provisions of the Anambra Homeland Security Law 2025, which expressly empowers authorities to shut down and take over premises used for the purpose of exploiting vulnerable children through street begging or similar means.
The Commissioner for Information, Dr. Law Mefor, who briefed the press following the council meeting, said the enforcement move is designed to safeguard the most vulnerable and reinforce the state’s stance against organized criminal activities hiding under social vices. He added that Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration remains committed to the creation of a secure and livable homeland for every resident of Anambra.
Mefor noted that the Homeland Security Law also led to the establishment of the state’s bespoke security architecture, including Agunechemba, a locally driven security network, and Operation Udo Ga-Achi (Peace Shall Reign), both of which were launched in January 2025. These outfits have been instrumental in dismantling criminal strongholds across the state.
The Commissioner highlighted that several hideouts used by kidnappers and other criminal gangs have already been discovered and destroyed in locations such as Ozubulu, Isiagu, Oba, and Nnewi, among others. The state’s security agencies, he said, have recorded numerous arrests during coordinated raids that have significantly disrupted criminal networks.
He further stated that eight Local Government Areas, namely Aguata, Ihiala, Ekwusigo, Nnewi North, Nnewi South, Orumba North, Orumba South, and Ogbaru, that were previously under the grip of insecurity have since been reclaimed, thanks to intensified operations and community collaboration.
Governor Soludo, while reacting to the development, commended traditional rulers, town union leaders, and other grassroots stakeholders for their continued partnership in ridding the state of threats to peace and stability. He reiterated that security, law, and order remain central pillars of his administration’s broader vision to build a safe, functional, and prosperous Anambra.
“We must make our homeland livable for everyone,” the governor was quoted as saying. “The safety of our children and the dignity of our communities are non-negotiable.”
The state government has vowed to ensure that any individual or group found complicit in using children for street begging or similar exploitative purposes will face the full weight of the law.