Nollywood actress Rita Edochie has urged traditional rulers and community leaders nationwide to take immediate action to protect their communities from rising terrorism and kidnappings.

In a post on Wednesday, Edochie expressed concern over escalating insecurity, accompanied by an image of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained IPOB leader serving a life sentence for terrorism. She noted that Kanu had previously warned about the spread of armed groups across Nigeria, but those warnings were largely ignored.

According to the actress, the situation has now reached a point where communities can no longer depend solely on government intervention. She called on local leaders to identify able-bodied youths in their areas and provide them with the support needed to reclaim forests, farmlands, and territories currently controlled by criminals.

“Communities can significantly reduce kidnappings if youths are properly prepared and ready to defend their land,” she said.

Edochie further explained that terrorists operate with impunity partly because they are well-armed and were previously protected by corrupt officials. She argued that local youths, familiar with their terrain, are best positioned to defend their people if leaders stop compromising with criminals.

She issued a stark warning, emphasizing the urgency of immediate action:

“Let every community properly arm their youths… send them into their forests and bushes, and you will see kidnappings stop almost overnight. If you don’t act now, it’s coming to your doorsteps.”