Imo Govt. To Establish Trust Fund To Boost State Security

In a bid to pay more attention to security in the state, the Imo State government says it is establishing a Security Trust Fund (STF) to enable the government and security operatives carry out its functions effectively.

The Governor disclosed this at the end of a Security Council Meeting with heads of the security operatives in the state at the Ndubuisi Kanu Executive Chambers, Government House in Owerri the Imo state capital.

The Governor said funding of the security operatives should not be left in the hands of the government, while expressing dismay over the increase in cult related activities in the state especially in tertiary institutions and secondary schools.

He also complained about the present location of the Nigeria Prisons in the state, calling on the Federal Government to urgently intervene to ensure it is relocated to a new site.

“The Council is calling on the Federal Government to do something as quickly as possible to relocate the Owerri Prison from where it is now, to a suitable place for the purpose of ensuring that we don’t have a jail break in the State.

The Judiciary also requires a lot of renovations and personnel to dispense justice speedily. This will equally help in decongesting the prisons. The government has therefore declared a state of emergency on judicial infrastructure”.

“We have noticed with dismay the rising spate of cultism which is among university students and secondary Schools. We have taken a decision to review the laws in this regard and make it more punitive for offenders. The House of Assembly will take this up to make the appropriate laws to check the menace of cultism in our State”.

“We have also noticed few cases of kidnapping suspects coming from Ngor-Okpala area. The security agencies are carefully watching the development in those places with a view to making sure that it does not rear its ugly head again”.

“The Imo State government has approved the establishment of Security Trust Fund and security public relations department. This will enable us ensure proper funding of the security sector because the government alone can no longer handle the burden of funding the security agencies. With this, we are calling on all stakeholders and all good spirited individuals to key into this laudable programme of the government, which the deputy governor will chair”.