The South-East Governors’ Forum has concluded plans to launch its own security outfit for the region in April, chairman of the forum, Governor David Umahi, has disclosed.
This is coming as the former governor of the old Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo, charged the governors to set up without further delay a regional security outfit that would be completely under their control.
Nwobodo, who gave the charge at the convocation of the Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki where he was conferred with an award of Doctor of Law on Saturday asked the South-East governors to adopt the South-West model of regional security outfit code named Operation Amotekun for the zone.
The elder statesman warned the governors to take the issue of security in the region seriously, pointing out that people were no longer going to their farms because of fear of being killed by criminals.
“I charge all the South-East governors to take the issue of security seriously. Today, as I was coming here, I saw empty land unused; people can no longer go to their farms because of fear and it is your first task as governors to ensure that your people are protected; that people will be free and can go to their farms.
“I don’t care how you will do it but you must do that because that is the most important thing,” he said.
Nwobodo, however, advised that the name to be adopted for the South-East security outfit must be a name that will frighten whoever that hears it.
He added, “If you want to call it ‘Onye Akpakwa Nwagu Aka n’odu’ (meaning don’t touch the lion’s tale), but you must call it a name that will make everybody frightened.”
But in his remark at the event, Umahi said the security outfit for the South-East region would be launched in April. He said it would be adaptable to the peculiarities of the zone.
He said, “A General is also heading our security outfit; if you like, call it Amotekun but we are coming up with something that is very wonderful and adaptable to our zone. When we roll out in the month of April, our people will be very proud of us as their governors.”