Southeast governors on Sunday said the legal framework for Ebube Agu has been set in motion.
They directed attorneys-general of the five states to propose laws to give the outfit a legal tooth.
“The attorneys-general and commissioners for Justice of the Southeast 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 Ebube Agu outfit,” they said
The governors launched Ebube Agu (glory of a tiger) on April 11 to address the region’s worsening insecurity.
Several police stations have been attacked and officers killed in the last three months, across the Southeast states.
The governors, who met in Enugu on Sunday, set up an Advisory Board for Ebube Agu after agreeing on its structure and operational modalities.
The decision forecloses the call by separatist Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) for the scrapping of Ebube Agu.
The governors condemned Saturday’s attack on the country home of Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma.
The gunmen first shot two security men at Oguta junction, killed six guards at Uzodimma’s home before setting the house ablaze. The police confirmed three dead.
It followed the killing of a man simply identified as Ikonso, said to be the commander of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), a security arm of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Ikonso was accused of coordinating the April 5 attack on the Imo police headquarters and the correctional centre in Owerri, in which 38 vehicles were burnt and 1,844 inmates freed.
The Southeast Governors Forum, in a communique read by its Chairman and Governor of Ebonyi State David Umahi, said Ebube Agu would work with security agencies.
“The meeting condemns the attacks on the country home of the Governor Uzodimma and other state infrastructure.
“We sympathize with him and call on the Federal Government to fish out the perpetrators and ensure their prosecution,” the governors said.
The Forum directed Ohanaeze Ndigbo President-General Prof. George Obiozor to set up within 10 days a Peace and Reconciliation Committee and a Strategy and Welfare Committee.
The committees have the mandates to “engage our people for the peace and security of our people and visitors” and to “engage and protect our people, especially those who are being unfairly treated”.
The governors reiterated their call for state police and restructuring of the country.
“The meeting is in support of restructuring, the setting up of state police and other national issues as discussed in the last National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.
“A committee has been set up to work out acceptable modalities and submit them to NEC in its next meeting,” the governors said
The meeting also restated the ban on open grazing in the region.
“Southeast leaders restate their commitments to our state laws banning open grazing in the Southeast and urge the security agencies and the local vigilantes to enforce the ban in all states of Southeast.
“Southeast governors agreed on the implementation of various #ENDSARS youth empowerment programmes in the Southeast states as soon as possible,” they added.
Governors of Enugu and Abia also attended the meeting; those of Anambra and Imo were represented by their deputies.
Also present were Prof Obiozor; Obi of Onitsha Igwe Alfred Achebe; Archbishop of Enugu Ecclesiastical Province, Anglican Communion, Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma; former Governor of old Anambra State Chief Jim Nwobodo, elder statesmen Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, among others.
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