S’East Govs Inaugurate Committee On Security

Governors of states in the South East zone of the country have set a committee to eradicate “the menace of security challenges’’ in the area.

Briefing newsmen at the end of a joint security meeting, which was also attended by heads of security agencies in the zone, the Chairman of the Governors’ Forum, Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State, said the governors were committed to eradicating all forms of criminalities in the zone.

Obi said the committee, which is headed by Maj.-Gen. Olayinka Oshinowo, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division, Enugu, would report back to the governors in two weeks.

He said the committee would come out with a plan on how to deal with security challenges in the zone.

“Today, we held a joint committee of all the security agencies in the South East Zone to discuss common security operations. The governors are committed to eradicating all forms of criminalities in the zone.

“We held a meeting today to discuss this and thereafter, set up a committee headed by the GOC to come out with a plan on how we can deal with security issues ranging from kidnapping and others in the south east.

“The committee will come out with what is required to provide the south east with effective security,’’ the chairman said.

In an interview with newsmen, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo said that lack of employment was not a sufficient reason for anybody to engage in crime.

“It is not unemployment that causes crime. People who engage in crime have no excuse because they can engage in agriculture to survive.

“Agriculture is the only option left for the country to survive on as the number of white collar jobs available for youths is inadequate to meet demands”.

Our correspondent reports that Govs Thedore Orji of Abia, Sullivan Chime of Enugu and the deputy governor of Ebonyi State, Mr Dave Umahi, were also present at the meeting.