Governors of the South East have been blasted for refusing to arm Ebubeagu - a security outfit setup to protect the region from armed herdsmen and other criminals attacking farmers and villagers in the region.
A renowned Interpol Systems Consultant in Africa, Sir Chikwe Udensi specifically condemned the refusal of Abia State governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu to arm the Ebubeagu security outfit in the state.
He described Ebubeagu as an ordinary club, according to a report by ABN TV.
The state government had claimed that it contravenes the use of the firearms Act to arm a state-owned security outfit, insisting that it is an exclusive right of the federal government to legislate on the use of firearms.
It says Ebubeagu was put in place to man the forests across Abia from where it will be gathering intelligence to support the police and other agencies carrying out their functions.
A check by ABN TV however revealed that despite not having a federal backing, Amotekun the South West regional security arrangement bears arms which some analysts have attributed to why it is achieving success in protecting people and farmlands in the region.
Responding to the Abia State government's stand, however, Udensi a chieftain of APGA in a political programme on Love FM Umuahia, Open Parliament monitored by ABN TV faulted the government's decision not to arm Ebubeagu, insisting that any security outfit not equipped with arms will not achieve its aims.
He condemned what he called the failure of Southeast Governors to properly finance and coordinate the operations of Ebubeagu to protect people of the region and farmlands from invasion from external forces.
"It is strange to us in security. What we require is robust, visible operations, not those having android phones, and be making calls from the forest.
"We ought to have very comprehensive, visible security outfit massively entrenched in the forests.
"There is a lead way for us to take. Amotekun is taking same. Any security outfit that bears no arms is no security outfit. It might be a club or something...
"Arm is very important in security. It helps in creating the desired result. We cannot leave our heads in the sands and majority of our bodies outside, living like an ostrich. That is very wrong" he cautioned.
He, therefore, called on governor Ikpeazu to device means to arm Ebubeagu to aid its operations.
