Communique: Joint Security Task Force for South East/Delta States

Communique on the South-East/ Delta States Security Conference 2015 Held On Saturday, 22.08.15 at the Governors ‘ Lodge Amawbia, Anambra State

[Picture: L-R: Governors Willie Obiano of Anambra; Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta; Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia]

At the end of the highly successful security conference which held under the theme: Security – Bedrock of Governance, aimed at fostering a partnership among Abia, Anambra, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States to enhance the fight against crimes and criminality. The ‎participants which cut across various strata of society including the Inspector-General of Police, the Director General of the Department of State Services, members  of the National Assembly, traditional rulers, religious leaders, market leaders, civil society groups as well as security stakeholders from the six states and contiguous states resolved as follows – 

1.      That it is imperative to set up a Joint Security Task Force among the South East and Delta States to curb prevailing crimes within the area;

2.      That appropriate deployment of security and intelligence, logistics support will be required to drive the initiative;

3.      That improved funding and equipping of the Police, proper remuneration for officers and a practical reward system for exemplary performance are necessary for efficient provision of policing services.

‎4.      That respective States should establish strong and functional security at border areas across the various States; 

5.      That the judiciary in all the concerned States should be encouraged for an enhanced/speedy administration of criminal justice;

6.      That electronic documentation of all criminal suspects at Police divisions should commence as a way of enhancing the criminal database;

7.      That State Governments should increase their spending on security to effectively augment efforts of the Federal Government in this direction.

8.      That in line with popular positions at the recent National Security Conference organised by the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja, community based policing should be encouraged with the active involvement of traditional rulers and other non-state actors. The use of vigilante outfits must however be regulated as a non – state actor with their activities supervised by Divisional Police Officers.

9.      That there is a need for timely interventions by State actors and political leaders in the resolution of communal disputes to avoid the occurrence of clashes arising there from.

10.    That use of technology and surveillance equipment by Government and private organisations should be encouraged especially in public buildings and facilities as a way of aiding law prevention processes.

11.    The Conference also called for improved moral standards among the citizenry as well as the resuscitation of societal core values and good governance as a panacea to curbing crimes.

12.    It equally called on the Federal Government to find ways of stabilising the Nigeria Police Force by making the office of the Inspector-General of Police tenure based. This is to ensure that a holder of the office at any point in time has ample time to initiate and execute security policies as against the present situation in which citizens have lost count of the many IGPs. 

13.    The Conference ended successfully with commitments by participating States to sustain discussions and cooperation on all issues regarding security.

Signed: ORGANISING COMMITTEE