South East governors, launched Ebube Agu, regional security outfit

 

Following the wave of attacks on public institutions, especially on police stations in the South East, the five governors of the zone yesterday stormed Owerri  to take strong decisions on the issue of insecurity in the zone.

The governors launched Ebubeagu Regional Security, made up of all the vigilante groups in the zone,with headquarters in Enugu, to fight terrorism in the zone.

This came as an Igbo leader in Ebonyi State, Chief Jerry  Obasi, attributed the  delay in floating a regional security outfit by the governors to the preference  of their political interests above the security of the people of the zone.

The Chairman, South East Governors Forum and governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi,  disclosed the formation of a joint security vigilante  to be known as  Ebubeagu at Imo Government House, in the company  of  other  southeast governors, after a security  meeting attended by President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo World-wide, Prof. George Obiozor, and top security chiefs.

The governors  also banned open grazing and  requested the Inspector General of Police, IGP,  to stop the influx of  IGP  monitoring units to the zone.

The governors stated: “The  five south east states are on the same page with the federal government on the issues of security challenges in the in the country. To this end, the meeting makes it absolutely clear that the South East will stand resolutely with the federal government to fight terrorists and and bandits to a finish.

The political leadership in the South East has resolved to bring together, all the arsenals at their command as one united zone, to fight and flush out criminals and terrorists from the zone.

“The summit resolved that to achieve this, there is a need to galvanise  all the relevant stakeholders in the South East, the political class, the business community, the bureaucrats and the intelligentsia to provide all necessary support to security operatives in the five South East states to ensure total success in the fight  against criminality in the zone.

That the heads of all the security agencies in the South East have resolved to exchange  intelligence in a  seamless, effective new order that will help to checkmate crime in the zone

“That to curb crime  in the South East, the heads of security agencies have been mandated to draw up a comprehensive list of their logistics and material needs for sustainable  success in the fight against criminality, for the  immediate provision by the leadership of the South East.

That a committee made up of security personnel, government officials and relevant stakeholders be set up to coordinate and monitor the implementation of the South East joint security platform.

“To applaud the initiative of the South East security summit and to make it a statutory summit that will convene every quarter while it’s hosting shall rotate among the five South East states.”

“The meeting resolved to maintain a joint security vigilante for the South East, otherwise known as Ebube Agu.

The meeting appreciated the formation of South East joint security outfit, code- named Ebube Agu, with headquarters in Enugu to coordinate our vigilante groups in the southeast.

“The governors requested the  acting IGP to stop the influx of the IGP monitoring units but allow CPs, states and zonal commands to handle their cases.

“The meeting approved the acting IGP and other security chiefs to invite the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN,  to find out the reason for increasing insecurity in the South East.”