By Mimi Chiadikaobi
Awka, Sept. 19, 2026 The Speakers of the five South-East State Houses of Assembly have resolved to work collectively to checkmate the poor security level confronting the region.
The conference of Speakers, South-East Zone uninaminously signed a communique on Saturday in Awka after a day's conference
The Speakers said sustainable security in the South-East requires not only effective policing, but also good governance, economic opportunities, justice and strong institutions.
They their resolve was contained in a communique jointly signed by the attending speakers of Enugu,Mr Uche Ugwu, Dr Somtochukwu Udeze Anambra, Mr Mose Odunwa, Ebonyi, Mr Emmanuel Emeruwa Abia while Imo speaker, Chike Olemgbe was absent.
During the conference, they considered the security situation in the region and other issues affecting the South-East.
The Speakers also commended the five South-East Governors for their unprecedented developmental strides in their respective states, pledging continued legislative partnership with the governors in promoting good governance.
The conference further resolves that the five State Houses of Assembly would sustain collaboration in legislation to achieve the standardization of procedures and uniformity of best practices across the zone.
The conference was held under the theme: “Legislative Review and Standardisation of Procedures Across South-East States: The Need to Redefine a Better Relationship.”
Earlier,Mr Pius Udoh, Clerk emeritus of Anambra Assembly and
a resource person at the conference, urged the South-East lawmakers to take an active role in ongoing discussions on state policing and constitutional reform.
Udoh, who spoke on “Security Challenges, Constitutional Review and State Policing in Nigeria: The Role of State Legislatures,” said insecurity remained a major threat to lives, property and economic development.
He identified terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, farmer-herder conflicts, communal conflicts, cybercrime, armed robbery,human trafficking, separatist and secessionist,cultism and gang violence among the security challenges confronting the country.
Udoh said state policing could improve intelligence gathering and response to security threats because personnel would have better knowledge of local communities, languages, customs ,geography.,social relationships, faster response to security threats and more effective rural policing in tackling kidnapping, banditry, communal violence and rural crime.
He, however, identified political interference, human rights abuses, inadequate funding and possible conflicts between federal and state police as concerns that required safeguards.
He urged the lawmakers to support strong legislative oversight, merit-based recruitment, professional training and political neutrality in any state policing framework.
According to him, sustainable security requires a combination of effective policing, good governance, economic opportunities, justice and strong institutions.
He noted that Nigeria faces a wide range of security challenges that threaten lives and property, economic development, social stability and national unity.
Udoh said that these challenges differ from one region to another, they are interconnected and are worsened by unemployment, corruption, weak institutions, poor intelligence gathering and open borders.
The debate over state police in Nigeria has risen from concerns that existing centralised policing system has not adequately addressed security across the country, the solution lies in the hands of Assembly Speaker to stand firm with 2/3 majority make laws to will address all wrongs irrespective of the status involved.
The highlight of the event was presentation of a gift from their host and call to hold the good of the people in mind during legislative procedures .