Military Has Been Intimidated In The Southeast, Ebubeagu Has No Support – EX-DSS Director Claims

A former Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mike Ejiofor has submitted that the military and other security agencies have been intimidated in the southeast.

To back up his claim, he pointed out that that is why there is currently no single police or military checkpoint all the way from Onitsha to Umuahia and most other parts of the southeast.

Ejiofor added that the recently launched regional security outfit by the southeast governors, ‘Ebubeagu‘ will fail because it has no support from the people and the governors failed to put structure in place before setting it up.

He made the claims on Monday when he appeared as a guest on Channels TV Sunrise Daily programme.

As part of his submissions, the former DSS Director said it is vigilantes that are providing security in the region adding that the recently formed Eastern Security Network (ESN) by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is also illegal and hence can’t function in tackling insecurity in the area.

In his words, “What are the structures on ground before the formation of Ebube Agu? Is there any legal backing to Ebube Agu? The Eastern Security Network (ESN) that was formed, we all agree it is illegal and cannot take charge of the security space in that area.”

“There is nothing on ground in the south-east to support Ebube Agu, so it’s quite unfortunate. It’s just like putting the cart before the horse. There should have been a legal framework before the launch of the operation Ebube Agu.”

“What they are trying to do is like involving community policing. If you go to the south-east, I can tell you… right from Onitsha to Umuahia, you will not see a single police or military checkpoint, and what does that tell you? Our military forces have been hoard[ed] and intimidated going out of the field, because of these people.

He added that despite the persistent calls for the rejigging of the security architecture in Nigeria, simply changing the heads of the various agencies is not enough to tackle the problems and challenges.

In his view, the government must practically consider state and community policing as well as true restructuring if the security challenges will be overcome.

“There have been series of agitation for the rejigging of the security architecture, that took government a lot of time to effect change in the leadership of the various security agencies, especially the arm forces, that people have been talking about that it is queued towards a particular geopolitical zone.”

“Now there has been a rejig, we have new heads of security agencies but again the bandits will now tell you that, if you think rejigging or changing the leadership is the problem, that is not the problem.

“The problem is structural, we need to look at the various components in the country and restructure. There has been a lot of agitation, calling for restructuring, we need to practice true fiscal federalism, until that is done, we will continue to have that problem.

“The security architecture for instance, we will need to look at the issue of the establishment of state police. I continue to emphasize on this, and people will begin to say why do you always talk about the establishment of state police, security problem is local, so the solution too must be local,” he said.

Meanwhile, a police station in Uzoakoli, Bende Local Government Area of Abia State has been attacked and set ablaze by unknown gunmen.

Naija News gathered that the attack which is one of several attacks on government facilities in the South East happened in the early hours of Monday.

According to The Nation, the gunmen overpowered the policemen on duty and released suspects in custody.