The governors of the South East met on Sunday over the security challenges and other issues in the region.
At the end of the meeting which held at the Government House in Enugu State, the governors resolved to launch a regional security outfit.
The chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum and Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, disclosed this to reporters at the end of the meeting .
According to him, State Houses of Assembly in the zone were on the verge of passing laws that will give the outfit legal backing.
The Governors said they had notified the federal government about their plans and will follow it up with details of the joint security outfit. The Governors made the disclosure on Sunday when the South-East Governors Forum met in Enugu.
They affirmed their commitment towards concluding the establishment of the Joint South East Security Outfit to tackle the daunting security challenges in the region.
He said the leaders have written the Federal Government in this regard and were equally satisfied with the arrangement that would lead to the enactment of the law to back up the programme in all Houses of Assembly across the region.
Governor Umahi, however, said they have yet to choose a name for the security outfit, adding that would come later.
To other issues, the governors were pleased with the level of work done at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu.
They noted that the airport would be reopened on March 31 and also commended the progress made so far in the construction of the Second Niger Bridge and some Federal Roads in the region.
The governors thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for the swift intervention of the Federal Government and called for more funding to conclude the ongoing works and incorporate other abandoned road sections in the South East.
The meeting was attended by the Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, and the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Nkem Okeke.
Also present were the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, and former vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi.
The meeting was also attended by some leaders in the region such as the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, John Nwodo, and some members of the sociocultural groups, as well as religious leaders among others.
