INSECURITY: ONLINE PUBLISHERS CALLS FOR ACTIVATION OF STATE LAW ON COMMUNITY SECURITY AGENCY CORPS

OGHENETEJIRI NYERHOVWO

In the face of rising rate of insecurity in the stste, Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa has been called upon to activate the Delta State community Security Corps Law tha has been signed into Law July 29, 2020.

The call was made in a 13 paragraph letter sent to the Governor by the Delta Online Publishers Forum (DOPF) on Tuesday, June 8, 2021.

It pointed out that the from the 38 clause Bill sent to the State House of Assembly was debated and passed by the Legislature on 20 June 2020, and was signed a month after, even before the official flag-off of the “Operation Delta Hawk”, which its formation had not helped in improving the security of the state, as its restricted to Asaba, Agbor and Warri.

The Forum pointed out tha the good disposition of the Bill taken into consideration, the issue of community security operations, as the communities in the state will be directly involved in the activities of security in their domains with the infusion of the local vigilantes in the programme.

It stated that the delay in its implementation, is defeating the good intention its created to achieve, especially with the recent Southern Governors decision on Open Grazing, which will need extra efforts from the state Government to implement.

According the letter, “it’s on record that because of this issue of increasing insecurity in the State, especially with rampant cases of kidnapping and clashes between herders and farmers, you found it expedient to send an Executive Bill to the Delta State House of Assembly, known as the Delta State Security Corps Bill, 2020 aimed to establish a community-based security outfit to assist in maintenance of law and order in the state.”

The letter added, “the Delta State House of Assembly on June 20th, 2020 passed the bill for the establishment of Delta State Community Security Agency into law and the bill was assented to by Your Excellency, the Governor on July 29, 2020 to become an Act.”

“However, a year on, this Act, which we believe was well thought out to assist in enhancing security operations at the grassroots towards combating crime, and complementing other security agencies in the state, is yet to be implemented.”

“The Speaker, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori during the passage of the bill had commended members for painstakingly working on the proposed law, saying that the 38-clause bill will help promote peace, security, and good governance in the state.”

The Online Publishers further added, “we note with discomfort that a year after this law was assented to, there has been no move to implement it. What we saw was the formation of “Operation Delta Hawk” with so many funfairs with few operational vans and their operations restricted to Asaba, Agbor, and Warri.”

DOPF then noted,
“in calling Your Excellency’s attention to this law, we are asking that in the face of the recent development of new security challenges, you consider the following:
Expedient action on the implementation of Delta State Community Security Corps Agency Law 2020.”

“This call has become necessary in the face of the Federal Government’s controlled police force and other security agencies’ likely refusal to enforce the Southern Governors’ declaration on ban on open grazing in Southern Nigeria, ” they opined.

“Be reminded that the law for the Delta State Community Security Agency Corps structure is to have members of the corps recruited within the state and possibly some members of the vigilantes as members with its operational headquarters in Asaba and controlled by the state commander, the law also made provision for Zonal and local government commanders, which tend to place it as a communal based security formation backed by law of the state.”

“We think that the Delta State Government should show commitment to the security and welfare of Deltans as a matter of urgency and set up a committee to start forthwith the implementation of the Delta State Community Security Agency Corps Law.”

“We want to believe that this government means well for Deltans when it sponsored this bill that has become law, but we are however taken aback that you are yet to keep the commitment to execute the fundamentals of this law to make it operational.”

“Your Excellency, as a responsible organization, we urgently advocate the implementation of this law to curb the daily pains Deltans, and other Nigerians residing in the state are facing as a result of security challenges, as the law from our understanding seeks to harmonise all the Local Vigilantes in the state and this could also be the beginning of the process of the State Policing of which you have been a great advocate.”

“We are partners in the development of the state, who are daily in the midst of the people, and we see what many go through in achieving their economic needs. As you may be aware, as the Executive Governor and Chief Security Officer of the State, some parts of this State have become prone to criminal elements who have occupied such areas.”

“Once again, we request that Your Excellency give urgent consideration to our call for immediate implementation of the law, even as we all await the Executive Bill to the State House of Assembly to give legal backing to the Ban on Open Grazing in the State.”