By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
Governor of Ebonyi state, David Nweze Umahi has claimed the much-awaited regional security outfit, Ebube Agu is operational in his domain even when nothing of such is noticed in four other South Eastern states of Abia, Anambra, Imo and Enugu.
Umahi who was a guest of Channels Television breakfast programme Sunrise Daily on Wednesday also claimed that Abia state is on the verge of setting up Ebube Agu.
Five South East Governors had six months ago gathered in Owerri, the Imo state capital, after the Correctional Center and Police Headquarters were destroyed by yet to be identified gunmen, to review the security situation in their region and rose to announce the birth of Abube Agu.
However, nothing else has been heard about the security outfit as none of the State House of Assembly has passed a bill to formalize Ebube Agu and none of the Governors of the South East has either sponsored an Executive Bill nor said anything about the outfit.
But Umahi who is also the Chairman of the South East Governors Forum has claimed Ebube Agu is operating in Ebonyi state without saying when the regional governors formalised the security outfit like their South West region counterparts whose States House of Assembly enacted laws on the set up of a regional security outfit which the Governors have since given their assent.
Said he: “Ebube Agu is operating in my state, Ebonyi and it’s doing well. It has been collaborating with other security agencies in the state to tackle headlong the spate of insecurity in Ebonyi state”.
Asked by the television anchore why Ebube Agu is not visible in the South East like the ‘Amotekun’ security outfit in the South West region and that none of the South East states have formalised Ebube Agu, Umahi claimed that states like Ebonyi and Abia have the outfit.
“I have told you that Ebube Agu is operational in Ebonyi state and, I believe Abia state will soon start. Abia state is doing something in that regard. I can tell you we are doing something to tackle insecurity in the region”, Umahi claimed.
Meanwhile, Governor Umahi who has always insisted that the insecurity in the South East are perpetuated by the people of the region, has denied that he differed from the Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma who argued that 75% of those involved in the killings, arsons and other violent crimes in his state are from outside Imo state.
According to him: “I am not saying that my brother Governor of Imo state is lying that those committing atrocious crimes in his state are not from outside. Yes, there may be political angle to it as some politicians may be involved in sponsoring some of the killings but I am saying that those caught in Ebonyi state committing crimes are from the South East”.
