Southeast Governors to set up Zonal Security Centre

The Southeast Governors Forum on Sunday resolved to set up a Security Committee and a Centre for South-East Integrated Security Monitoring/Intelligence Gathering.

This was part of the resolutions at the forum’s meeting in Enugu.

The centre, according to the communique issued at the end of the meeting, will be located in Enugu.

The governors said the centre is a response to the emerging security challenges in the zone.

The region comprises five States of Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Anambra.

In recent times, the region has battled with an intermittent breakout of clashes between herdsmen and farmers.

Other major security concerns in the region which the governors are battling to contain include kidnapping, armed robbery and cultism.

According to the Chairman of Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, the governors also agreed to key into the federal government’s community policing programme.

“Forest Guards would be established in each state and roads cleared up to 50 meters into the bush to have a clear view of roads ahead,” he said.

They pointed out that the security committee will also address the safety of fuel pipeline route to Enugu Depot to ensure the resumption of the transfer of petroleum products to the Enugu Depot in the shortest possible time.

The governors appealed to the federal government to consider, among other numerous requests, the reconstruction of the runway of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, to enhance the safety of air travellers.

They commended Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State for his numerous interventions in addressing recent concerns raised by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) in ensuring that the airport is functional.

While thanking the federal government on the steady progress of work on the 2nd Niger Bridge project, the governors, however, called on the government to take more meaningful action on some major roads in the region.

They listed such roads to include “the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, Owerri-Onitsha Expressway, Okigwe-Owerri Expressway and Owerri-Umuahia Expressway.”

The Southeast Governors also reiterated their earlier stance that “there is no land in South East for RUGA settlement programme.”

The RUGA settlement programme was suspended by the federal government following the criticisms that trailed its announcement. The programme was supposed to ensure the provision of lands by states to be used as ranches for herders.

The meeting of the South-east governors, which held at the Government House, Enugu, was attended by the host governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, David Umahi of Ebonyi State and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State.

Governors Willie Obiano of Anambra state and Emeka Ihedioha of Imo state were represented by their deputies, Nkem Okeke and Gerald Irona respectively.