Okezie Ikpeazu Governor of Abia State
Abia begins implementation of 2021 State Security Summit, as council chairmen take charge
[From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia]
Reports emerging from a meeting between Abia Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, executive chairmen of the 17 local councils of the state and stakeholders in the security sector, Monday, in Aba, indicate that the state government may have commenced implementation of the recommendations by the recently-held Abia State Security Summit 2021.
This is because the state government may have now thrust greater control of new security architecture on the local government chairmen.
The three-day Abia State Security Summit 2021, convened by the state government at the height of violent attacks on security formations and personnel across the state, held from May 26 –May 28, 2021.
In a 17-point communiqué issued by the participants, the Summit, chaired by a former Chief of Army Staff, General Azubuike Ihejirika, recommended among other things, a devolution of power to local governments on security matters for effective security of the State.
According to the recommendation, every local government Chairman in the state would be required to work with existing and home-grown structures to ensure the security of their local councils.
The home-grown structures include community-based vigilante services, Homeland Security, Abia State Crime prevention and Management System (CPAMS) launched in November 2020 and Abia Safety Alert System (ABSAS), which the Summit further recommended should be equally incorporated in a new security architecture expected to be floated by the Abia State Government that will work in conjunction with the statutory security agencies to enhance the security and safety of the State.
The report of the meeting held at the Governor’s Lodge, Aba and made available to newsmen by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sir Onyebuchi Ememanka, hinted of the setting up of local government-based security architecture.
The report said that apart from announcing far-reaching strategic security measures at the Community, Local Government and State levels, Ikpeazu directed local government chairmen to coordinate the security apparatus in their areas, in consultation with relevant stakeholders.
The report noted that the Governor charged the Council Chairmen to be dispassionate in choosing those that would head the security set up at the community and local government levels as well as inaugurate the new security structure in their respective areas.
According to the report, Ikpeazu disclosed that selected numbers of security personnel would be in charge at various levels of security across the State, with specific focus on the activities of criminal herders; and also announced the distribution of various types of logistics to enable the personnel carry out their duties effectively; promising that leadership of each group of the personnel would be armed with relevant gadgets for prompt and effective communication and dissemination of information.
The report said Ikpeazu, at the meeting, emphasized the importance of security as Abia was at the confluence of the South East and South-South regions with the possibility of criminal activities from states in these regions creeping into the state.
Responding on behalf of others, the State Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeira (ALGON), Abia State chapter, Hon. Ibe Nwoke, and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Homeland Security, Comrade Christopher Okpara, thanked the Governor for coming up with a well-thought out security measure for improved security at the grassroots level.
They promised to align themselves with the new policy direction of the Governor with a view to nipping insecurity in the bud.
A former Deputy Governor, Rt Hon Eric Acho Nwakanma, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Homeland Security, Mr Chigozie Onyeukwu Ubani, among others, were present during the meeting.
