Indications emerged, yesterday, that despite agreeing to a community policing projects as proposed by the Federal Government, as its own way of fighting insecurity in the South-East Zone, governors of the zone will soon adopt a name for her own regional security outfit.
A diplomat and former Peoples Democratic Party candidate for the Anambra Governorship election in 2017, Mr Oseloka Obaze, stated this in an interview with journalists in Awka, yesterday.
Obaze, stated that a lot of consultation has been done on it by leaders of the zone, and that an agreement has been reached to choose a name for the regional security outfit, just as the South-West governors choose Amotekun.
“I cannot tell you the name that was agreed on, but very soon you will get to hear of it,” he said.
He said, “From outside looking in, it might seem that the South-East governors are not doing enough. But I am aware that they are fully engaged. I also know that the South-East people as well as Ohaneze Ndigbo are pushing them to be overtly proactive in order to reassure Ndigbo that Igboland is secure.
“The South-East Security Committee is also hard at work. From a policy perspective, one-size security arrangement will not fit every regional need. The South-West, North-East, South-East and South-South regions all have their respective security needs and peculiarities.
“As such, each zone must fashion out what works best for them with a view to securing their respective zones. Whatever the states or regions plan to do, must, however, be done in partnership with the Federal Government to ensure synergy.”
He added that, “The South-West governors have teamed up to do their bit. The North has come up with its own model. Now it is up to the South-East governors to do their part, taking into account peculiarities and needs of the South-East region. But they cannot do so unilaterally under the present circumstances.
“Ultimately, the South-East states, which by the way have their respective state vigilante outfits, will have to rally together. What might be different is that they will have better inter-state command, coordination, as well as agreed response modalities.
“I will not tell you now what has been agreed, but expect that the code name will be announced soon, and the operational modalities. It will be a name that will be acceptable to all, and one which everyone can connect with.”
However, the bill for the establishment of the Ondo State Security Network Agency and Amotekun Corps has been signed into law by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu.
The bill received the governor’s nod following its earlier passage by the state legislative body.
While emphasizing that the security outfit will not be allowed for political activities in the state, Akeredolu maintained that Amotekun was established solely for the security of lawful residents within the six south west states.
He reiterated that the Amotekun Corps shall be complementary and not independent of the operations and efforts of the nation’s security agencies.
“We wish to reiterate that the Amotekun Corps is a child of necessity and is purely borne out of the need to explore other means of securing our forests and protecting all those who do legitimate business within the South-West region.