Ebube Agu: Igbo journalists applaud governors, call for legislation

From Fred Ezeh, Abuja

A group of media professionals, the United Igbo Journalists Forum (UIJF), have commended the recent move by South-East governors to establish a joint security outfit for the region, known as “Ebube Agu”.

The group observed that, although the floating of Ebube Agu is a bit behind schedule, given the frightening level of insecurity in the region, the new security force is necessary.

In a statement issued on Wednesday and made available to newsmen in Abuja, the journalists group led by its Chairman, Emeka Nze, described as ‘forward moving’ the resolution of the five governors.

The group said that, aside from the direct aim of securing the region, the security force has the added advantage of creating jobs for unemployed youths in the South-East, mitigating the threat to society posed by acute joblessness.

The Igbo journalists stressed the need for the five state Houses of Assembly in the region to immediately follow up on the governors’ decision with legislation to back up the security outfit in their various states.

The statement enjoined governors and other stakeholders in the region not to relent in taking drastic measures to end the rising tide of insecurity in the South-East.

‘UIJF supports the request of South East Governors that the Acting IGP stops the influx of IGP monitory units but to allow CPs and state and zonal commands to handle their cases,’ the statement read.

‘This is not the time to fold hands and watch while a faceless group emerges from nowhere and kills innocent citizens.

‘It’s our firm belief that if the essence of the new security outfit is well managed, soon all forms of criminal activities ranging from kidnapping, brigandage, arson, killings and armed robbery of all sorts will be a thing of the past.

‘We enjoin South-East leaders at all level not to, in anyway, contemplate, talk more of having issues bothering on insecurity because no one knows who will be affected at one point or the other.

‘We equally call on well-to-do Igbo sons and daughters to join hands with the governors in a bid to secure our territory. More efforts should be injected in the area of job creation and empowerment as another way of engaging, especially our youths, in whatever positive ways,’ the statement said.