Kingsley Nwezeh delves into the growing list of regional security outfits in the Southern part of the country, the rationale behind their emergence and the implications for Nigeria’s corporate existence
With the birth of the South-east Regional Security Outfit, Ebube Agu (the fearsome aura of a lion) by the South-east Governors’ Forum last week, the outfit joined the growing list of regional organisations, after their South-west counterparts launched Amotekun last year.
The alternative security measures are largely a response to wanton killings, kidnappings and rape of married and young women across the country by herdsmen, terrorists, armed bandits and other criminal elements who have recently moved down south.
It is also a sad commentary on the inability of the security agencies to contain the security breaches in the country with allegations of bias in the management of such situation in many cases.
The outfit, with headquarters in Enugu, is expected to complement the efforts of federal security agencies in tackling the security challenges in the region.
The governors led by Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State, who is also the Chairman of the South-east Governors’ Forum, condemned the recent burning of police stations, violent attacks on custodial centres with the unlawful release of inmates, and the killing of security personnel, natives, farmers and herdsmen.
The governors, in a communique, issued in Owerri, Imo State capital, aligned themselves with the efforts of the federal government to find a solution to the security challenges in the country.
The meeting, attended by the five South-east governors, Dave Umahi (Ebonyi); Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia); Willie Obiano (Anambra); Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Hope Uzodinma (Imo) among other decisions, resolved to “maintain a joint security vigilante for the South-east otherwise known as Ebube Agu”.
The meeting appreciated the formation of South-east joint security outfit code-named Ebube Agu, with headquarters in Enugu “to coordinate our vigilante in the South-east”.
Beyond Ebube Agu, the South-east zone is also grappling with the activities of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), associated with the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), which has been a target of military helicopters and troops regularly hunting for their operatives in the region.
Ebube Agu, Legal Issues and Basis of Agitation
Unlike its South-western counterpart, Amotekun, the formation of Ebube Agu has faced stringent criticisms over its legal basis.
In establishing Amotekun, the South-west states enacted laws guiding its existence, operations and personnel through the state legislature.
Violent attacks by herdsmen, injustice and marginalisation have also been identified as the rationale behind the formation of regional security organisations.
Some security experts have faulted the Igbo governors’ security intiative which they held lacked any component that addressed injustice, marginalisation and the absence of legal framework to back up the outfit.
Speaking in an interview with THISDAY, former Director of the Department of State Security (DSS), Mr. Mike Ejiofor, said South-east governors must address the issues of injustice and perceived marginalisation for such an outfit to be effective.
He said leaders of the South-east should convene a larger meeting of all the stakeholders rather than an idea borne by politicians with larger implications for the future.
“Setting up Ebube Agu security outfit is not the priority of the South-east. What they have done is misplaced. They are talking of setting up security outfit to address security challenges and open grazing. What is the legal framework for it? Where did they have the law setting up Ebube Agu? You don’t just do things because other people are doing it.
“What I expected them to do is to look at the immediate and remote causes. Why are the youth in the South-east agitating. Is it not because of perceived marginalisation and injustice? Where there is no justice, there will never be peace”, he said.
The former DSS said: “You are talking about setting up of ebube agu, there is no law backing it up. I am not happy with the governors. I do not know why they should gather and set up such an outfit without legal framework. In the South-west, they backed theirs up with laws, provided offices and operational vehicles. You just come together and proclaim Ebube Agu. What they have done is not different from Eastern Security Network. They just made a pronouncement just like the IPOB did. No legal framework”.
Failure of Policing
Another issue raised as the reason for the establishment of regional security outfits is the failure of policing. As the lead security agency in internal security operations, the Nigerian Police is saddled with the responsibility of provision of security for lives and property.
Paucity of funds, lack of equipment and manipulation of the force structure have combined to render it ineffective. The recent #EndSARS protests hajiacked by hoodlums and the consequential destruction of police infrastructure readily comes to mind.
To underscore the urgency of the situation, the acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Usman Baba, told commissioners of police from the South-east and South-south states that the situation in the two zones required urgent attention.
“We have called this meeting to discuss issues affecting us in the South-east and South-south geo-political zones. We have a very critical situation in the two zones which needs immediate attention and rejigging our strategy to ensure that it is contained”, he said.
At another meeting with the Executive Secretary of the Police Trust Fund (PTF), Mr. Ahmed Sokoto, the IG lamented the deplorable state of police barracks.
“Accommodation is an issue in our barracks that require urgent attention. Most of our buildings are bad. It is very critical that policemen are kept in one place so that you can mobilise them for work in the shortest possible time”, he said.
In an interview with THISDAY, a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), Mr. Parry Osayande, said the lack of attention paid to the Nigerian Police by the federal government “destroyed” the police force with the creation of several organisations out of it, notably, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Department of State Security (DSS), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commision (EFCC).
He said the situation had left the populace at the mercy of criminal elements hence the formation of regional security groups for self defence.
“The federal government deliberately destroyed the Nigerian Police. Of all the police in the former commonwealth countries, the Nigerian Police is the only one that has been decimated.
“They created EFCC, DSS, Road Safety, NSCDC out of it. They are funding them with what should have been funding for the police so the police is dead and the people are exposed. So if the regionalists decide to defend themselves, what do you have against them? They are going to suffer it eventually. So you have four other forces competing with the Nigerian police. They are underdeveloped, under-trained”, he lamented.
“We need to bring people that can rule the country properly, those who have the interest of Nigerians at heart. How do you pay a police officer 30,000 a month and a senator is earning N30 million a month. How do you find the way forward there?”, he queried.
The former Chairman of the Police Service Commision (PSC) lamented the lack of commitment in resolving governance issues by those saddled with such responsibility.
“People are owed salaries, doctors are not paid and you are going abroad for medical treatment”, he said.
Implications of Regional Security Outfits
The emergence of regional security organisations portends danger to the corporate existence of Nigeria. It is also a reaction to unrestrained violence ravaging the country and the failure of government to respond to the genuine demands, to take a second look at demands and agitations for a better country, forcing citizens to resort to self-help.
Such groups may at a point command the loyalty of the people and subsequently become more trustworthy in respect of security of lives and propety than the regular security agencies.
Distrust for Ebube Agu
A Human Rights Research and Advocacy group, International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety) had raised the alarm that Ebube Agu was a suspicious package and product of the federal authorities which would eventually be rendered inoperable.
A statement signed by a Principal Officer of the group, Mr. Emeka Umeagbalasi, said that “Intersociety is strongly suspicious of the panicky and hurried announcement of the new security outfit by the South-east Governors Forum. Coming when all hopes have been lost from state actor angles, forcing most citizens of the region to place their hopes, expectations and solutions on the table of non state actors. We are very surprised to hear the sudden announcement.
“Intersociety also doubts the sincerity and genuineness of the promoters of the new security outfit. It is doubtful, too, whether critical indigenous stakeholders and other interest groups were duly consulted and carried along. The new outfit is most likely a baptism name given to the 2019 illegitimate and unpopular “community policing” arrangement by the same South-east governors during which all the security chiefs that attended the meeting where the decision to use “community policing” to checkmate menace of jihadist herdsmen in the south-east region were made up of officers of Fulani-Hausa Muslim background”, it said.
Intersociety further declared: “We therefore have strong reason to suspect and conclude that the South-east governors’ newly created security outfit, tagged “Ebubeagu Security Outfit” is a caliphate inspired counter measure to truncate or weaken non-state actor arrangements including vigilant and vigilantism resort to legitimate self defense safeguards provided in Section 258 of the Criminal Code and Section 59-60 of the Penal Code (operational in the Igbo parts of Benue and Kogi States).
“The latest moves by the south-east governors are also likely geared towards using the so called “Ebubeagu Security Outfit” to protect and consolidate the jihadist herdsmen incursions and settlements in bushes, forests and farmlands in the south-east region and its outposts in Benue, Kogi, Rivers, Cross River, Delta and Edo States”, it said.
The research group alleged that the name “Ebubeagu’ as a matter of fact, is meaninglessly a camouflage especially when the Nigerian Army has used similar camouflages like “Egwu-Eke” and “Atilogwu Udo” to massacre over 700 unarmed and defenseless citizens of the region and maim over 800 others and engage in other atrocious conducts including roadblock corrupt practices”.
The group argued that the outfit could not be operated successfully in the South-east region where almost 100 per cent of top security especially military and police formations were in the hands of officers from other regions, most of whom are muslims of Fulani-Hausa extraction.
OPC, Igbo Group Tackle Miyetti Allah’s 5000 Vigilantes
Threats of more violence have continued to dominate the atmosphere, reinforcing the reason for the formation of regional security outfits.
The Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore had recently stated that it would deploy 5000 vigilantes across the country to protect Fulani interests, part of planned 100,000 vigilante deployment.
Two groups, Odua People’s Congress (OPC) and the Igbo National Council have furiously reacted to the deployment plan.
The leader of OPC and Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba land, Iba Gani Adams, said the threat by Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore to deploy 5,000 members of the group in the 36 states could lead to anarchy.
“Establishing a vigilante group by the Fulani in other people’s land is driving the country towards anarchy and nobody has a monopoly of violence.
They are condemning Amotekun and Ebube Agu but it is only criminals that will have the fear for any region to have their internal security outfits. Why is Miyetti Allah challenging anything that happens in other regions? I think the federal government should not take their statement lightly. If they do, it can affect the government”, he said.
According to him, “If they want to organise a security outfit, it should be to help and support the government and not to work against the government. Have the Yoruba or the Igbo in Kano organised a parallel security outfit against Hisbah? No Yoruba community has said it wants to tackle Hisbah, because they know that Hisbah is serving the state government and the state government has the right to protect the interest of the people. Miyetti Allah is making a statement that can cause crisis in the country,” he stated.
Speaking in the same vein, the Igbo National Council (INC) warned the Miyetti Allah over its threat to deploy 5000 vigilantes to the South-east and other parts of the country.
A statement issued by the National President of the group, Chilos Godsent, said the recent threat would not be tolerated.
“We have received with anger the rumour that the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore is planning to deploy 5000 of their squad to the South-east and other zones in the name of vigilante. We want to use this medium to advice them before sending those men and women to their early grave as that project may mark the end of Miyetti Allah in South-east zone of Nigeria”, it said.
The INC said “the Igbo National Council and various other self-determination groups of the Igbo nation will no longer tolerate any aggression from the Miyetti Allah sponsored terrorist attack against any community in Igbo land.”
US Warning on Movement of ISIS, al-Qaeda to the South
The United States government recently warned against the infiltration of Southern Nigeria by terror groups, notably, ISIS and al-Qaeda and Boko Haram.
At a virtual media briefing, the Commander of the US Special Operations Command, Africa, Dagvin Anderson, said terror groups were moving down south and other parts of West Africa.
“We have engaged with Nigeria and continue to engage with them in intel sharing and in understanding what these violent extremists are doing. And that has been absolutely critical to their engagements up in Borno State and into an emerging area of North-west Nigeria that we are seeing al-Qaeda starting to make some inroads in”, he said.
“So, this intelligence sharing is absolutely vital and we stay fully engaged with the government of Nigeria to provide them with an understanding of what these terrorists are doing, what Boko Haram is doing, what ISIS-West Africa is doing, and how ISIS and al-Qaeda are looking to expand further south into the littoral areas”.
In view of the intelligence provided by the US government, the federal government should take steps to look more closely into the level of infiltration and strengthen counter, deployable measures against a clearly present force.
This may also provide an insight into the rampant killings, kidnappings and rape in the South and the place of regional security outfits.
