How Militarization Of South East Was Discussed With Tinubu – Enugu SSG, Onyia

The Secretary to Enugu State Government, Professor Chidi Onyia, has said the issue of militarization of South East was discussed with President Bola Tinubu when he visited the state.

Professor Onyia explained that the security checkpoints’ economic implications as they related to the high cost of food, inflation, and waste of man-hours were discussed with the President.

Naijaonpoint reported that President Tinubu paid a state visit to Enugu to commission some projects of Governor Peter Mbah on Saturday.

The South East region residents have over time, decried an unending number of security agencies’ checkpoints, including the Nigerian Army, Police and other force units.

In an interview on Sunday with Channels TV, Professor Onyia was asked if the President responded to a question concerning the issue of militarization of the region.

He explained that the President was in support of all efforts that would be used to drive the security of the region.

However, Onyia’s response to the question did not show whether there was a commitment from the President that the checkpoints would be reduced.

His words: “If you recall the conversation was around how we were going to drive security with technology, and in his comment, he said he was in support of integrating security; more so we don’t have so many boots on the ground as it relates to checkpoints.

“So in the state what we have put in significant investment in ensuring that we use technology to drive most of our security issues in the state.

“You recall that he came to commission our command and control centre, and in the command and control centre we believe that His Excellency has put in significant investment, which he also talked about that investment in technology for security is something that he commends and something that he supports completely.

“But the emphasis on demilitarisation of the area, was around the checkpoints as it relates to the cost of goods, logistics and the implication of that on inflation as it relates to a pass-through cost to the consumer.

“That was what we were talking about. So it focused really about economic development, the implication of all the checkpoints and how it affects the final cost of the product on the masses. And that was the context of the conversation.”

In an interview reported by Naijaonpoint, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, said the topography of the region was responsible for the heavy presence of military checkpoints.