South East Governors to set up Regional Security Outfit says IGP deceived them.

SOUTH East Governors have mandated their various Houses of Assembly in the zone to commence enactment of state security laws that will give legal backing to the establishment of regional security in line with its joint security programme for the zone.

The Governors who held joint meetings with Ohanaeze Ndigbo and other political leaders of the zone expressed disappointment with the Inspector General of Police for reneging in an earlier agreement they had with the police on the practice and composition of Community policing for the zone.

Rising from a meeting in Enugu, on Sunday, attended by the five Governors in the zone, Chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. Dave Umahi said “The recent communication from the Inspector General of Police to our Governors on community Policing composition is not in keeping with the agreement we reached with him during his last visit to the South East.

“In the circumstance, we cannot begin implementation of it until the programme reflects our earlier agreement. The southeast Governors and their leaders request the IGP to revert to our initial agreement reached on community policing at Enugu.

“The forum agreed that all South East States Houses of Assembly should commence the process of enacting the state security laws in line with the South East joint security programme.”

On the Coronavirus pandemic, the South East Governors said they will engage the Nigeria Center for Disease Control, NCDC, to scale up testing of coronavirus in Southeast states and further directed that all Igbo living outside Igbo land do obey all extant Covid-19 orders such as the presidential directive on interstate movement, World Health, and NCDC hygiene protocols; the presidential Task Force and the directives of the South East Governors and directives of all Governors where they reside.

The Governors’ meeting also agreed to set up committees in the five states to work with the federal government, the World Bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria and the NSIA in their various programmes to rejig the economy, especially in areas of Agriculture, SME, and Solid Minerals.

“The Meeting agreed to hold a virtual meeting with the Group MD of NNPC on the issue of linking our southeast capitals with gas pipeline alongside with the pipeline programme of the federal government which is running from Imo to Lagos state; the meeting equally agreed that Ohanaeze does submit a working document in our next meeting on setting up of South East Stabilisation fund,” Umahi disclosed.

The Governor assured Ndigbo that with the progress of work at Akanu Ibiam International airport Enugu, the airport will re-open soonest, subject to the Covid-19 programme of the federal government.

It also commended the federal government, the federal ministry of works, and the Governor of Anambra State with the progress of work at the Second Niger Bridge, adding that the next meeting of the southeast traditional institution shall be hosted by Ebonyi State.