South East Security Palaver: A Call fo
The security situation in AlaIgbo has deteriorated significantly over the past decade, yet the South East Governors Forum remains unable—or unwilling—to forge a unified security architecture that effectively combats the growing threats of kidnapping, banditry, cultism, arson, and other forms of organized crime. Since 2015, non-state actors have operated with impunity, terrorizing communities, and destabilizing the region, while political leaders continue to dither on implementing a coherent regional security strategy.
Under the previous leadership of former Governor Dave Umahi, the attempt to establish Ebubeagu, a regional security outfit, fell apart due to political mistrust among the governors of the South East—Okezie Ikpeazu and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of the PDP, Umahi and Hope Uzodinma of the APC, and Willie Obiano of the APGA. Their inability to set aside partisan interests ultimately left the region vulnerable, allowing criminals to tighten their grip on communities.
Meanwhile, their counterparts in the South West demonstrated what political unity and vision can achieve. In 2020, the South West Governors Forum launched Amotekun, a regional security outfit that has since grown in strength and operational effectiveness. Now in its fifth year, Amotekun has become an integral part of the South West’s security architecture, proving that regional collaboration is both possible and necessary.
The mass killings of Ebonyi State citizens in February 2025 at the hands of Fulani herdsmen should have been a wake-up call for the South East Governors Forum. Yet, there has been no emergency meeting, no concerted effort to address the growing threat posed by these external aggressors. Instead, individual state governors are left to tackle security challenges in isolation.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s bold security initiative in Anambra, codified in the Homeland Security Law, has yielded remarkable results. His security outfit, Operation Udo Ga Chi, has aggressively rooted out criminal hideouts, forcing kidnappers and bandits to flee. However, this isolated success inadvertently displaces criminals to neighboring South East states, highlighting the urgent need for a coordinated regional approach.
Governor Hope Uzodinma, as chairman of the South East Governors Forum, bears the responsibility of leading this charge. Yet, his administration has shown little interest in establishing a robust, unified security structure. This inaction is particularly dangerous given the infiltration of terrorist groups like ISWAP and Boko Haram, who are reportedly setting up bases in remote forests across the South East.
Last week, the South West Governors Forum met again in Ibadan, reinforcing Amotekun ahead of potential security threats tied to the economic downturn and the turbulent lead-up to the 2027 elections. Their proactive approach is a stark contrast to the South East, where complacency reigns despite mounting security threats.
The new leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide must urgently pressure the South East Governors Forum to establish a regional security outfit in 2025. This is no longer a matter of political debate but of survival. The failure to act now will only embolden criminals, terrorists, and external aggressors, further plunging AlaIgbo into chaos.
Governor Soludo’s Agu Na Echemba initiative is commendable, but without a corresponding effort from the rest of the region, it risks being just a drop in the ocean. If the other South East states do not launch similar security initiatives, criminals will continue to exploit weak spots, establishing safe havens where they can regroup and launch fresh attacks.
The South East Governors Forum must reconvene immediately and match the urgency and resolve of their South West counterparts. Anything less is a betrayal of the people they swore to protect.
Steve Nwabuko
