Abia Security Summit Seeks Crackdown On Illicit Use Of Drugs Among Youths, Says It Fuels Crime

Participants at the recently concluded Abia State Security Summit which took place from 26th to 28th May, 2021 at the Conference Hall of The Hotel Royal Damgrate, Umuahia have called for intensified efforts to curb the use of illicit drugs and narcotics among youths of the state, insisting illicit use of substances amplifies insecurity.

The summit chaired by Lieutenant General Onyeabor Azubuike Ihejirika, rtd which had as participants Governor of the State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, his Deputy, Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, and all members of the State Security Council, Heads of all Security Agencies in the State, Chairmen of Local Government Areas and their Deputies, State Chairman of Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers and his Deputies, Chairmen of Traditional Rulers Advisory Council in Local Government Areas, and all retired officers of Abia origin of the Army, Police, Navy, Airforce, and Department of State Services from the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police or its equivalent, therefore, urged the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to intensify efforts in ridding the State of illicit drug dealers and users.

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In a communique issued at the end of the Three-Day Stakeholders Summit and signed by the Chairman, General Azubuike Ihejirika (RTD), it called on the Abia State Government to continue to create the enabling environment for human security by providing more jobs, and other economic opportunities for the teeming youths of Abia State so that they would be gainfully employed and be less inclined to criminality.

Read full communique below:

Communique of Abia State Security Roundtable

The Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu ably Represented by the Deputy Governor, Sir Ude Oko Chukwu.

Mr. Chairman, permit me to stand on existing protocol

I have before me the Communique issued at the end of the Abia State Security Summit held from 26th to 28th May, 2021 at the Conference Hall of The Hotel Royal Damgrate, Abia State.

The Abia State Government conscious of its primary constitutional responsibility of safeguarding the lives and property of its citizens and visitors, convened a Three-Day Stakeholders Summit on Security to brainstorm with experts on the subject and proffer solutions on how to sustain a peaceful and safe Abia State.

The Summit had in attendance the Governor of the State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, his Deputy, Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly and all members of the State Security Council, Heads of all Security Agencies in the State, Chairman of Local Government Areas and their Deputies, State Chairman of Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers and his Deputies, Chairmen of Traditional Rulers Advisory Council in Local Government Areas, and all retired officers of Abia origin of the Army, Police, Navy, Airforce and Department of State Services from the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police or its equivalent.

At the end of the deliberations Chaired by Lieutenant General Onyeabor Azubuike Ihejirika CFR, the following resolutions were arrived at by the Summit;

1. The Summit commended Abia State Governor, Okezie Victor Ikpeazu PhD for the thoughtfulness of convoking the State Roundtable Security Summit tagged: ABIA STATE SECURITY SUMMIT 2021 and for inviting senior security officers of Abia State origin to avail the State of their experience and expertise.

2. The Summit commended the Abia State Government for its untiring efforts so far in tackling headlong security situation in the State through credible support to security agencies in the State, constant interface and interactions as well as launching of a number of homegrown solutions to the problem of insecurity.

3. The Summit commended law enforcement officers serving in Abia State for their professionalism and dedication to their duty even in the face of obvious targeted attacks and urged them to remain steadfast in their primary responsibility of securing the state and its citizens.

4. The Summit condemned in very strong terms the attacks on security formations in the State and commiserated with the Nigerian Police, other security agencies, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who have lost personnel and assets, and emphatically stated that such dastardly acts are not healthy for the state and region.

5. The Summit noted the existence of Anti-Open Grazing Law of Abia State and recommended its enforcement.

6. The Summit resolved that there should be devolution of power to Local Governments on matters concerning security for effective security of the State. Every Local Government Chairman in Abia State would be required to work with existing and homegrown structures to ensure the security of their local councils.

7. The Summit recommended a new security architecture by the Abia State Government that will incorporate a community based vigilante services, Homeland Security, (CPAMS) and ABSAS, all of which will work in conjunction with the statutory security agencies to enhance the security and safety of the State.

8. The Summit called on the citizenry to continue to work with the security agencies in Abia State in the area of providing information noting that perpetrators of these nefarious acts are from amongst the people and with robust information management system, it will be easy to apprehend them.

9. The Summit urged security agencies to effectively manage information given to them by informants to avoid backlash against the informants and called for the establishment of an effective incentive system to encourage more people to come forward with information on the activities of criminal elements in the State.

10. The Summit urged traditional rulers in Abia State to continue to play active roles in securing their domains noting that they are very important in the security equation because of their proximity to the people and knowledge of people resident in their domains.

11. The Summit recommended the review of the curfew in Abia North Senatorial Zone from 6pm to 6am, to 8pm to 6am.

12. The Summit called for more stringent crackdown on illicit drug usage in the State as coloration exists between drug use and criminal activities. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency should intensify efforts in ridding the State of illicit drug dealers and users.

13. The Summit called on the Abia State Government to continue to create the enabling environment for human security by providing more jobs, and other economic opportunities for the teeming youths of Abia State so that they would be gainfully employed and be less inclined to criminality.

14. The Summit urged the involvement of the State Legislature in the fight against criminality in Abia State by getting them to expeditiously pass laws that will ensure the security of the State.

15. The Summit urged heads of tertiary institutions in Abia State to continue to evolve robust innovations to curb the issue of cultism and other criminal activities associated with tertiary institutions.

16. The Summit urged greater inter-agency collaboration among security agencies in Abia State. It called for the creation of a robust central information-sharing system that will enable other security agencies to be abreast of efforts of other agencies.

17. The Summit urged the Abia State Government to, apart from the Abia State Security Council, constitute an Abia State Security Advisory Committee made up of serving and retired senior security officers from the State to continue to advise the State Government on security issues based on their experiences.

Issued this 28th Day of May, 2021.

-General Azubuike Ihejirika (RTD)