Governors of the five states in South East met in Owerri on Sunday to evaluate the security situation in the country and resolved to float a new security outfit code named Ebube Agu to deal with cases of insecurity the zone.
The Governors – Dave Umeahi (Ebonyi), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Willie Obiano (Anambra) and host Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State also resolved to join hands with the federal government to fight terrorism and banditry whereever they may exist in the region.
On terrorism and banditry, the Governors strongly condemned the recent cases of burning of police stations, attack on Correctional facility and unlawful release of inmates, killing of security personnel, natives, farmers/ herders and resolved to stand resolutely with the federal government to stop the development.
Joined by Chiefs of all armed bearing security agencies in the zone with a high – powered delegation from the office of the Acting Inspector General comprising a deputy Inspector General of Police and an Assistant Inspector General of Police, the Governors said they resolved to bring their resources and arsenal together to fight terrorism and flush out criminals in the zone.
After their exhaustive deliberation in a close door meeting, Governor Umahi, flanked by his brother Governors and the security chiefs read a 15 – point communique of their resolution to the media.
Part of the resolution, it was revealed, is that the security agencies agreed to share intelligence and information concerning the zone and in a manner that will help check crimes.
According to the Governors a committee made up of security personnel, government officials and relevant stakeholders will be set up to coordinate and monitor the implementation of the South East joint security platform called Ebube Agu with headquarters in Enugu.
Also, the Governors said: “The meeting approved that the acting IGP and other security chiefs do invite the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and CAN to find out the reason for increasing insecurity of the South East,” and that the “meeting agreed that military policing in the South East should be adequately funded and become effective.”
The governors said to fast track crime-busting 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.”
Also agreed, according to the Governors 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.”
The communique read in full:
After exhaustive discussions on the current security challenges in the South East and with valuable contributions from participants at the first South East security summit in Owerri on this day Sunday April 11th 2021, it was resolved as follows:
1. To strongly and unequivocally condemn terrorism and banditry in any part of Nigeria, particularly in the South East. The meeting strongly condemns the burning of police stations, violent attacks on custodial centres with the unlawful release of inmates, and the killings including security personnel, natives/ farmers and headsmen.
2.That the five South East states are on the same page with the federal government on the issue of security challenges 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 bandits to a finish.
3.That 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 terrorist from the zone.
4.That 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.
5.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.
6.That to fast track crime-busting 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.
7. 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.
8.To applaud the initiative of the South east security summit and to make it a statutory summit that will convene every quarter while its hosting shall rotate among the five south east states.
9.The meeting resolved to maintain a joint security vigilante for the South East otherwise known as Ebube Agu.
10.The meeting appreciated the formation of South East joint security outfit code named Ebubeagu. Headquarters in Enugu to coordinate our vigilante in the South East.
11.South East Governors requested the Acting IGP to stop the influx of IGP monitory units but to allow cps and state and Zonal commands to handle their cases.
12. Meeting approve that the acting IGP and other security chiefs do invite the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and CAN to find out the reason for increasing insecurity of the South East .
13. Meeting agreed that military policing in the South East should be adequately funded and become effective.
14. Meeting agreed that open grazing has been banned and security agency should implement the ban.
15. The meeting encouraged a peaceful coexistence of farmers and herders to allow Governors to succeed in the fight against criminality.