Ebonyi state government, Monday discarded the idea of using Abia state Bakassi boys as south-east regional security outfit which is expected to commence soon in the region.
Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi state had said that south-east governors were making adequate arrangements to kick start joint security taskforce in the zone which according to him, will strengthen security in the region.
Few days after some group advocated for the Bakassi boys of Aba to be adopted by the region.
However, the Ebonyi state Commissioner for Internal Security and Border Peace,Mr Stanley Okoro Emegha has said they cannot be adopted as a regional security outfit.
Emegha who disclosed this to journalists in Abakaliki, said, “we don’t allow that, we cannot accept Bakassi boys in Ebonyi state. We have been running Neighborhood Security Watch and the outfit has been gazetted in our state law. Name doesn’t matter; the important thing is doing the work and keeping the state safe.
“Actually, all of us are Nigerians; we can see that there is a lot of insecurity in the country. In as much as the federal government is doing their best, their best is not enough. They should redouble their efforts in curbing insecurity because it is solely their responsibility to secure lives and properties of the citizenry.
“As such what is happening here is that Mr President has not taken drastic and hardened measures, if he does, I tell you it will charge the security agencies that they must come out with a solution to insecurity in the country.
“We have consultant who is a professional in security and we are coming up with too many other measures which many other states may not want to abide by. So regional security outfit is good but if only they can abide by the style which others are doing, “he said.