By Chigozie Uzosike
The Labour Party Gubernatorial Aspirant, Imo State, Maj. Gen. Lincoln Ogunewe (Rtd) has reeled out the qualifications state funded security outfits must meet for effective operations.
Speaking to newsmen, the security expert, Ogunewe noted that given the rising insecurity in the states, most State Governors have established security outfits to check the menace, adding that it is the constitutional duty of State Governors to ensure the protection of lives and property of their citizens.
He hinted that in ensuring that the issue of insecurity is addressed, the establishment of such security outfits must pass certain litmus tests to be seen as working in the interest of the citizenry and not against them.
Ogunewe who’s hopeful that he will emerged the candidate of Labour Party after the primary, stated that for security outfit to be successful, it must have a name and must be established by act of the State House of Assembly, especially that this gives the security outfit legality and foundation.
The retired Major General who has paid his dues in the defense of the country posited that the state governments must ensure that any security outfit goes through some level of para-military training especially on intelligence & weapon handling.
He continued that the outfit must have an office and a recognized address where citizens could go to make complaints and reports, insisting that the outfit must have an organogram with a well known command structure for ease of identification.
The internationally recognized security expert, Ogunewe said that Commander of the outfit and Sub-Commanders must be known and reachable, adding that the outfit must have form of identity, uniform and identity card for its personnel with unique vehicle colour and markings for ease of identification by citizens. He said security outfits are not shredded in secrecy.
He called on some governors to toe the line of how Amotekun in South West, which is making progress in fighting insecurity was created. It fits into the above criteria. He said any outfit should be launched to create awareness of its existence, advising that the outfit must cooperate with the Military, Police and other Security Agencies in the discharge of their duties for effectiveness and efficiency.
He commented that any state security outfit that does not meet the above criteria and more can be likened to a militia, regretting that militias all over the world are known to kill, maim and destroy. He called on citizens to put hands on deck to fight the issue of insecurity as according to him, security is everybody’s business, while urging all and sundry to imbibe the best weapons of conflict resolution which are dialogue, pacification and reintegration rather than bullets and guns.
