South-South governors launch own regional security outfit

Months after the South-East and South-West governors launched regional security outfits, the South-South governors on Monday approved the establishment of a joint regional security outfit to address insecurity in their region.

In a statement signed by the South-South leaders’ chairman, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, said, “Bearing in mind that most of the BRACED states have established their state security’s organs, we approved the regional security architecture, which will be launched very soon.” 

The decision to establish a security outfit was part of the resolution reached at the end of their meeting held on Monday at Government House, Port Harcourt on Wednesday.

This development came months after the South-East governors established a security outfit for the region, soon after launching of the South-West regional security outfit named Amotekun.

The security outfits were established as the agitation for state police heightened amidst wanton security crises across the country.

President Muhammadu Buhari has yet to assent to the various requests by governors for the creating of state police to address the dynamic security challenges faced by different states.

In April, the South-East Governors’ Forum reiterated its support for establishing state police to tackle Nigeria’s security challenges.

The governor noted that the forum had set up a committee to work out acceptable modalities for state policing and would submit the same to the National Economic Council (NEC).

Governors Kayode Fayemi, Rotimi Akeredolu, and Darius Ishaku had separately called for the creation of state police.

However, Governor Babagana Zulum talked down on setting up state-controlled police, arguing that governors like him would promote tribal sentiments.

The governor, whose state is among the worst-hit by raging insecurity caused by the Boko Haram insurgency, said decentralising the police comes with serious implications as ethnic contention were still rife in the nation.