The Akwa Ibom State Government has enlisted 2,277 village youth presidents into its security framework as part of renewed efforts to strengthen grassroots intelligence gathering and improve peaceful coexistence across communities in the state.
Governor Umo Eno made this known during a strategic town hall meeting held on Sunday at the Uyo Township Stadium, where he said the initiative was designed to deepen the state’s security system and close gaps between residents and formal security agencies.
According to him, the move became necessary despite existing efforts to maintain peace, stressing that more community-driven collaboration was needed to enhance safety.
“While we have done our utmost to ensure that Akwa Ibom State citizens feel safe and live in a peaceful environment, it has become necessary to take additional measures at the local level to widen, deepen and retool the state’s security architecture,” the governor said.
He explained that village youth presidents would now play active roles in intelligence sharing and community monitoring in collaboration with security agencies.
“This idea, therefore, requires that we integrate our village youth presidents, who are strong, dynamic and resident in their various villages, into our security mechanism,” Eno added.
The governor disclosed that participants would undergo profiling and training beginning at the local government level, while cautioning that their inclusion in security operations does not place them above existing traditional leadership structures.
“Henceforth, the village youth presidents will now form part of our security architecture. We will provide you with adequate training after your proper profiling, starting from tomorrow, on a local government basis,” he said.
He further directed local government chairmen to appoint security supervisors who will coordinate the activities of the youth leaders in their respective areas. According to him, the arrangement will be managed under the Ibom Community Watch structure.
Eno said the initiative aims to improve coordination between communities, police, and other security agencies to ensure faster and more effective response to security threats.
“This move is geared towards ensuring that any noticeable gaps between the police, security agencies and local communities are eliminated, ensuring the free flow of information and actionable intelligence,” he stated.
The governor also ordered the expansion of the Quick Response Squad across the state’s 10 federal constituencies and donated 10 Hilux vehicles to the police to boost operational capacity.
Commending the initiative, the Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, Baba Azare, described community participation as essential for effective security management.
Similarly, the Commissioner for Internal Security, retired Brigadier General Koko Essien, said the initiative reflects a community-based approach to tackling insecurity, while the Commissioner for Youth Development, Dr. Ekerete Ekanem, highlighted ongoing youth empowerment programmes such as Ibom-LED and DASAC.
Speaking on behalf of the village youth presidents, Itai James Abraham praised the initiative, describing it as historic and a demonstration of inclusive governance, while pledging the youths’ support for the administration’s programmes.
