South East states will begin a joint security patrol to check rising insecurity, the governors said on Tuesday.

They deplored rising cases of kidnapping and attacks on security agents in the region.

Southeast Governors Forum chairman and Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi said the forum would do everything to secure the region.

He spoke with reporters after a virtual meeting of the governors.

The governor assured everybody residing in Igboland of their safety irrespective of ethnic affiliation.

“We will do everything possible to ensure that all our people are protected; the security agent and all the people from other regions living with us.

“We have agreed that the Southeast security committee will be expanded, that this year we are going to have a common patrol.

“Our vehicles are going to be the same, the uniform will be the same and we will do this for our vigilante.

“We will continue to work with the people of Southeast to give them greater protection,” he said.

The governors regretted that two days ago, two policemen were allegedly killed in Imo State, with their riffles taken away.

He said there was a kidnap case along Enugu and Ebonyi border recently.

Umahi believes the criminal acts were perpetrated by people of the region.

“We want the leaders of Southeast to rise above political sentiments to speak out and to condemn this act because should the security people react, the cry will go everywhere,” he said.

The governors condemned a misleading viral video in a narrator claimed herdsmen residing in Ebonyi State were being chased away by their host communities.

The governors described the video as an attempt to cause panic and disunity in the country.

Umahi said: “We are so much worried about the killings and kidnappings that are going on in the Southeast – killing our people and security agents. The situation is being heightened by the activities of very desperate politicians.

“There are so many politicians in all the political parties who are so desperate for power and they have aligned with some bandits to destabilise the nation.

“For instance, two days ago in Ebonyi State, a Fulani settlement decided to move Taraba State and retain some of their family members in Ebonyi. The man is still here.

“A politician went to put a voice and said that Igbo are chasing away the herdsmen from Ebonyi state.

“Such a video went very wide and was causing panic in other parts of the country. That is very much uncalled for.

“The Governors’ Forum condemns this and we will want the leaders of Southeast to rise to speak against this kind of attitude and against messages that tend to divide us and put our people in danger outside Southeast.” (The Nation)

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