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By Doris Oliver
n a bid to eradicate crimes within the State, traditional rulers have been mandated to awaken security consciousness among the youths in their various communities as the Imo state house of Assembly also resolved to empower the already existing local security vigilante in the communities.
The House reached this resolution at the plenary when Hon. Ozioma Worship Bennett Ebonine Member Representing Njaba State Constituency presented a motion captioned ” MOTION TO URGE HIS EXCELLENCY SEN. HOPE UZODIMMA TO MANDATE ALL TRADITIONAL RULERS IN THE STATE TO ENCOURAGE YOUTHS IN THE AREA TO BE SECURITY CONSCIOUS AND EMPOWER LOCAL SECURITY VIGILANTE ALREADY EXISTING IN COMMUNITIES.”
While presenting the Motion, Hon. Ozioma Ebonine said, “There are three(3) things that bring development in a state and in every community, the first is road , the second is electricity and the third is security which is the most important of three.”
He said, that insecurity is fast brewing in the state, and there’s every need to do everything to support the government of Imo state ,hence the need and reason for this motion to urge the Governor of Imo State to assist the Traditional Rulers especially those whose communities are unable to create or recruit vigilante groups because of fund.
In his words, ” This administration is a youth friendly government where every youth is given a sense of belonging and youth leaders recognized but most youths leaders are not very busy, but if involved in community security, they will be of great assistance and will be kept very busy.”
” If our youth are involved in community security, it will help to check and combat crimes in our various communities and help close the gap or lacuna between Imo youth leaders and the state government,” he added.
In support of the motion, Hon. Gilbert Nwosu reminded the legislators that insecurity has been a major setback in the southeast for some time and that the government has done a lot in curtailing the excess of this menace .
“That security we should understand is everyman business , we should not allow the security of our lives and properties only in the hands of the government because the government would not do everything, the security agencies have been the target of these boys who have been killing them just to get hold of their arms and ammunitions. It will help us most if we use the locals and the youths in our various communities,” He advised.
For the member for Owerri Municipal Hon Clinton Amadi, security is a serious business as he commended the governor for niping insecurity on the board. He said the insecurity situation is gradually coming to an end, but the encessence of this motion is to eradicate insecurity completely from the state.
Also, Hon. Kelechi Ofurum member for Owerri North and the Deputy Chief Whip suggested that the youth must be trained by security agencies because most of the criminal acts are perpetrated by the youths, as he appreciates the sponsored of the motion.
Hon. Johnson Iheonukara Duru of Ideato South State Constituency opposed the motion, saying there was already an existing security network in the state. But Mr Speaker, who was represented by the Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Amara Chyna Iwuanyanwu explained that the motive is for the governor to mandate traditional rulers to encourage youths in their areas to be security conscious and to empower security vigilante already existing in communities.
The Deputy Speaker Ruled as follows:
a) Encourage the youths in the various communities in Imo State to be more security conscious and to report suspicious individuals to relevant authorities for necessary actions ; and
b) Empower the local vigilante existing in the communities.
The Clerk Chinelo Emeghara Esq was directed to communicate the resolution of the House to His Excellency, the Governor of Imo State.
