South-East Governors’ Forum on Thursday urged security agencies to go after those behind the insecurity in the zone.
They gave the charge in a communique issued after their meeting in Enugu.
The meeting was attended by the Forum’s Chairman and Imo Governor, Hope Uzodinma, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra, Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, and Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi.
They commended the efforts of the security agencies in ensuring the return of peace in the region, stressing that normalcy was being incrementally restored as a result of the cooperation of the security agencies with the governments and people of the zone.
The communiqué was read by Uzodinma reiterated the commitment of the Forum to forging a common socio-economic and security cooperation through a summit to be announced at a later date.
The Forum further declared that the perpetrators of insecurity and their sponsors in the region were mere criminals, who should not be dignified as legitimate agitators, but dealt with in line with the provisions of the law.
The communique read: “The Forum firmly resolved to fight insecurity decisively in the region individually and collectively, in partnership with the Federal Government and other Stakeholders.
“We commend the security agencies for their cooperation thus far and encourage them not to relent.
“We wish to state categorically that the perpetrators of the insecurity in our region and their sponsors are criminals and should not be seen as legitimate agitators. Therefore, upon arrest, they should be dealt with in accordance with the laws of the land.
“The Forum resolved to hold the security and economic summit on a date to be announced soon”.
Also fielding questions from newsmen, Uzodinma, while dissociating the unrest in the region from Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, whom he said had since disowned the enforcers of sit-at-home and perpetrators of other crimes, said the governors of the region would continue to do everything within their powers to sustain the increasing peace and security presently being enjoyed by the South-East.
