Governors of the South East region and leaders from across the region met today in Enugu to discuss escalating security challenges in the region and also to work out ways of tackling the situation. The meeting had governors, some senators, and even ministers and religious leaders in attendance, and following communiqué was released at the end of deliberation.
COMMUNIQUE ISSUED BY THE SOUTHEAST GOVERNORS’ FORUM AT THE END OF ITS SECURITY MEETING WITH SOUTHEAST CLERGY, LEADERSHIP OF TRADITIONAL RULERS, OHANEZE NDIGBO AND SOUTH EAST JOINT SECURITY COMMITTEE HELD
ON SUNDAY, THE 25TH DAY OF APRIL, 2021, AT THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL CHAMBERS, LION BUILDING, GOVERNMENT HOUSE, ENUGU.
The Forum, at the end of its meeting, came up with the following resolutions:
- South East Governors and Leaders re-stated the adoption of a common Joint Security outfit called EBUBEAGU with her Regional Headquarters in Enugu.
EBUBEAGU will work with the Police and other security agencies in her operations to protect lives and property in South East;
- We agreed on the structure and operational modalities of EBUBEAGU and to set up an Advisory Board for the security outfit;
- The Hon. Attorney Generals and Commissioners for Justice of the South East States have been directed to work with the Joint Security Committee to come
up with the amendment of the existing State Laws to reflect the new EBUBEAGU outfit;
- The meeting directed Ohaneze Ndigbo President to immediately form two Committees:
(a) South East Peace and Reconciliation Committee to engage our people for
the peace and security of our people and her visitors;
(b) Strategy and Welfare Committee to engage and protect our people,
especially those who are being unfairly treated.
These Committees must become functional within the next 10 (ten) days from date;
- The meeting is in support of restructuring, the setting up of State Police and other national issues as discussed in the last NEC meeting.
A Committee has been set up to work out acceptable modalities and submit them to NEC in its next
meeting;
- The meeting condemns the attacks on the country home of the Governor of Imo State, His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma and other State
infrastructure. We sympathize with him and call on the Federal Government to fish out the perpetrators and ensure their prosecution;
- South East leaders restate their commitments to our State laws banning open grazing in the South East and urge the security agencies and the local vigilantes to enforce the ban in all States of South East;
- South East Governors agreed on the implementation of various END SARS Youth Empowerment Programmes in the South East States as soon as possible.
This 25th day of April 2021.
Engr. David Nweze Umahi, FNSE, FNATE
Chairman, Southeast Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State.