ABIA STATE GOVT SETS UP COMMITTEE TO SCREEN ITS SECURITY OUTFITS

REPORTER: PEACE AGBO

Abia State Government has inagurated a seven-man Screening Committee for Abia Vigilante Service (AVS) and the Abia State Homeland Security Watch.

The Committee is headed by Mr. Emmanuel Ogbuehi.

In a message to the inauguration of the committee at the Government House Umuahia, Governor Alex Otti charged the members to live above board.

Governor Otti represented by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, who described security as the bed rock of progress in the society, noted that security was one of the cardinal objectives of the present administration to sustain the existing peace in the state.

He advised the the committee to exhibit high sense of discipline in carrying out their mandate.

Earlier, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Navy Commander MacDonald Uba (Rtd.), explained that the setting up of the committee was necessitated by the deep concern of Governor Alex Otti about the proliferation and poor architecture of the state community policing.

Mr. Uba said the committee’s recommendations would assist the government on the best formula to reform the security service for efficient and productive service delivery.

The terms of reference for the committee include: to verify and flush out the ghost workers, confirm their geographical spread, determine their levels of para-military training, take inventory of the arms and ammunition in their armory.

Others are to ascertain their method of arms and ammunition distribution and protection as well as review and recommend to the government on the best formula for reformation and transformation.

Members of the committee are ASP Itiola Lawrence of the Nigeria Police; CSC Chinomso Okorie of NSCDC; MWO Alidu Sylvester Bala from the Nigerian Navy; Captain Abdulrasheed Alquasim of the Nigerian Army; Chinenye Alajemba and the Secretary of the Committee, Tony Ifeanyi Izim, who retired as an Assistant Director in the DSS.

Responding on behalf of other members, the Chairman of the committee, Mr. Emmanuel Ogbuehi (Assistant Commandant) promised they would carry out their assignment diligently and ensure security of Abia State.

He thanked the Governor for finding them worthy to serve in that capacity.

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU