As southern states’ governors converge on Enugu, the Enugu State capital Thursday, the persisting insecurity situation in the country, especially the assymetric increase in kidnap cases, is likely to top their agenda, a source close to one of the governors informed.
The source, who craved anonymity, said the southern governors were likely to come up with a common position asking for the legislation of State Police, or in the alternative, seek National Assembly’s legalisation of regional security corps, like Amotekun of the Southwest.
“Besides, the ban on open grazing and the spate of insecurity in the country are some of the priorities in the agenda of tomorrow’s meeting.
““The issue of ban on open grazing and increase in kidnap cases will top discussions and such will lead to a demand for State Police, since the conventional police force is glaringly overwhelmed,” the source informed.
“Part of the agenda will also be how the southern states can safeguard their territories to ensure that bandit terrorists fleeing from the North-due to military pounding, won’t find escape abodes in the southern states,” the source further disclosed.
The 17 governors from the region will be hosted by Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, at the Government House, Enugu.
The first and second meetings of the southern governors, which broached on regional and national issues, were earlier held in Delta and Lagos states, respectively.
The 17 southern governors had, in a July 5 meeting in Lagos, urged all the states in the region to ensure that the legislation against open grazing of cattle was enforced on or before September 1.
Curiously, however, only a few states in the region enacted the law, in compliance with the resolution of the Forum.
But the host governor, Ugwuanyi, signed the anti-open grazing law earlier passed by the state’s House of Assembly, a day to Thursday’s meeting.