By BONIFACE AKARAH

The Foundation for Environmental Rights Advocacy & Development (FENRAD) has warned that the Anambra State Government’s response to the sit-at-home crisis — including threats of demolition and the closure of schools — risks tipping the state into anarchy and exporting insecurity to other parts of the South-East.

In a press release issued in Umuahia on Wednesday and signed by its Executive Director, Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, FENRAD described the measures adopted by the administration of Governor Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo as “undemocratic, disproportionate and inconsistent with international human rights standards,” cautioning that continued reliance on coercion could trigger wider regional instability.

FENRAD said the shutdown of primary and secondary schools in response to the sit-at-home crisis constitutes a direct violation of the right to education, noting that such actions place children at heightened risk of abuse, exploitation and long-term social exclusion. The group stressed that denying access to education undermines national laws as well as international instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

“The closure of schools and threats of demolition amount to collective punishment of civilian populations,” the organization said, warning that “force-based responses to politically rooted crises often deepen grievances rather than resolve them.”

According to FENRAD, the approach being adopted in Anambra could “fuel resentment, radicalization and further instability,” with consequences that may not be contained within the state. The group cautioned that heavy-handed tactics risk escalating tensions across neighbouring South-East states already grappling with fragile security conditions.

Calling for a shift in strategy, FENRAD urged Governor Soludo and other South-East governors to abandon punitive measures and embrace inclusive, dialogue-driven political solutions. It emphasized that “sustainable peace can only be achieved through genuine engagement with affected communities, civil society groups, traditional institutions and other relevant stakeholders.”

The rights group also appealed to international human rights bodies, diplomatic missions and development partners to closely monitor developments in Anambra, particularly regarding education, property rights and civic freedoms, and to support peacebuilding and dialogue-based conflict resolution initiatives.

FENRAD further called for the immediate halt of demolition threats, the safe reopening of schools and markets, and the initiation of transparent, good-faith dialogue aimed at addressing the root causes of the sit-at-home crisis in line with democratic norms and human rights principles.

Reaffirming its commitment to peaceful engagement and democratic governance, FENRAD said it remains ready to collaborate with national, regional and international partners to promote accountability, protect fundamental rights and prevent the slide into wider insecurity in Anambra State and the South-East region.

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