First Republic Minister, Chief Mbazulike Amechi has challenged the governors of the South-East geopolitical zone to rise up to their responsibility of securing the lives and property of the people of the zone.
He stated this while lamenting the delay in the formation of a regional security outfit for the region.
The elder statesman said the delay showed the lethargic attitude of political leaders saddled with the responsibility of handling the affairs of the Igbo.
Amechi urged Ndigbo to be ready to defend themselves if their elected officials fail to live up their responsibilities.
“If others are forming their own security organisations and the South-East governors feel their own security organisation is the one that will be supervised by the Inspector General of Police, it shows the kind of people and governments we have.
The security that would be dependent on the police is not a security outfit, particularly considering the kind of present police we have today. That is not for the people, it is a puppet,” he told Daily Sun.
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The Herald recalls that Ebonyi State Governor and Chairman of South-East Governors’ Forum, Dave Umahi recently said that the forum would soon launch its own regional security outfit like the South-West did with Amotekun in January.
“We have been challenged so much in the South-East because of security problems. I want to assure you that we are doing everything possible together with you and Mr. President to secure our people. We will not break the constitution to satisfy our people.
“We have our own Amotekun with us and we will soon unveil it within the limit of the constitution of the Federal Republic,” Umahi told Vice President Yemi Osinbajo when the latter visited the state on March 5.
The governor had first mooted the idea of a regional security outfit for Igboland in January.
Lamenting the huge security detail deployed by state governors and other political leaders, Amechi said he was only entitled to one police orderly when he was a First Republic Minister.
“But today they move about with scores of police men enough to form a police post or station in addition to members of Directorate of State Service (DSS),” the elder statesman said.