Ebonyi state government, Wednesday announced the establishment of about 1000 vigilantes to take over security from the grassroots.
The Secretary to State Government and Coordinating Commissioner Dr Kenneth Ugbala, made the disclosure at the Exco Chambers, Old Government House Abakaliki, while briefing journalists on the outcome of Wednesday’s security Executive Council meeting.
Dr Ugbala said the State Commissioner of Police Aliyu Garba in collaboration with the Commissioner for Internal Security would embark on an assessment tour of Police formations to ascertain their condition in terms of infrastructures.
He said: “The council had extensive discussions on the establishment of vigilantes and we want to take our security from the grassroot the way it has always traditionally been done.
“Every community in Ebonyi state is to have five vigilantes and that will give us a total of 700 vigilantes at the 13 local government areas of Ebonyi state.
“They will be responsible outside our normal community vigilantes that have always been our traditional way of safeguarding our people which the government encouraged that all the villages and communities should set out their own vigilantes.
”We all grew up to meet all these things being done and this is the right time creating barricades on the roads at odd hours and checkmating who is going out and coming in at our local government areas and communities.
“The CP and Commissioner for Internal Security are to embark on monitoring of various Police formations to identify their needs, install solar lights and drill boreholes”
“Every Police Stations and Area Commands in the State must be provided with 10 Solar Lights, boreholes and Closed Circuit Camera (CCTV)
Dr Ugbala said the Executive Council, urged Police formations to endeavour to protect themselves from further attacks.
“The Police and other security agencies should do their best to Police their formations, any Police stations that allows their stations to be attacked will be shut down, while the officers will face disciplinary actions”
“Every Police Station should clean their environment 200 meters radius,” he added
The Secretary to State Government said that the Executive Council resolved to enforce the ban on open grazing and movement of cows.