Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has called for stronger regional collaboration to combat insecurity and prevent political violence ahead of the 2027 general elections, insisting that criminals must never be allowed to dictate the future of the South-East.
Speaking on Thursday while delivering his address at the South-East Security Summit held at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia, Otti said security remains the bedrock of development and urged leaders across the region to sustain joint efforts aimed at restoring peace and stability.
The summit, themed “Collaborative Approaches to Strengthening Security and Regional Stability,” brought together governors from the South-East, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (Rtd.), federal and state lawmakers, ministers, security chiefs and other key stakeholders.
Declaring that no society can prosper without guaranteeing the safety of its citizens, Otti stressed that governments must make it impossible for criminal elements to operate freely.
“Security is the foundation of prosperity, the pillar upon which all outlines of progress rest,” the governor said.
“The framers of our Constitution understood the central place of security in our development aspirations… until the citizens are made sufficiently secure, free from the threats of criminals and those who profit from chaos, no real development can happen.”
He said the gathering underscored the collective determination of South-East leaders to secure the region despite the existence of isolated security challenges.
“The message of this summit is that we are entirely committed to the peace and security of the region. While not disputing the fact that there are still pockets of disturbances in a few communities, it is also not in doubt that a new sense of order is returning to the region,” Otti stated.
According to him, the region has made significant gains through intelligence sharing, improved surveillance, better funding of security operations and stronger public enlightenment campaigns, making criminal activities increasingly difficult and unprofitable.
“For one, we have established that more often than not, crime is driven by economic considerations, so what we have simply done is to make it too costly for any intelligent mind to consider,” he said.
“By incentivising security agents, investing in surveillance technology and public enlightenment, we have simply made crime and criminality unprofitable in most parts of the region.”
The governor maintained that the fight against insecurity must remain impartial, warning that anyone who threatens peace—regardless of ethnicity or religion—should be treated as an enemy of society.
“Our resolve is that whoever threatens the peace and security of the region, whatever their motivation, ethnic or religious background, is an enemy of the people and must be dealt with as the law demands; never again will our hardworking men and women live under the tyranny of criminals — you commit a crime, you pay the price,” he declared.
Otti also urged security agencies to broaden the fight against crime by dismantling the networks that sustain criminal activities, including illicit drug traffickers, arms suppliers and those who harbour criminals.
“For our victory to be total, it would help to connect certain activities, such as the consumption and distribution of illicit drugs, to all forms of crimes — from kidnapping and armed robbery to rape and burglary,” he said.
“While we deal decisively with the individuals who carry arms to rob and kill, the same measure of efforts should be devoted to tracking those who supply drugs, the ones who keep arms and others who harbour and shelter them.”
Calling on residents to support security agencies with credible intelligence, Otti warned against shielding criminals because of family or ethnic ties.
“They are simply criminals and not your brothers or relatives, report them to the authorities before they harm more people, and that could include you,” he said.
Beyond law enforcement, the governor argued that sustainable security also depends on expanding economic opportunities through investments in education, infrastructure, agriculture and job creation.
He noted that although poverty could push some people toward crime, there was no justification for criminality, adding that governments must continue to create opportunities that enable young people to pursue legitimate livelihoods.
“Henceforth, a commitment must be made to create opportunities for people to engage their hands and intellect in ventures that increase the economic output of our communities,” he said.
Otti also commended the Federal Ministry of Defence and the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (South-East) for choosing Umuahia to host the summit, while applauding security agencies for their role in restoring peace in Abia State.
Looking ahead to the 2027 elections, the governor called for proactive measures to prevent political violence and guarantee a peaceful democratic process across the region.
“This summit is coming at the right time considering that the electioneering season is upon us,” he said.
“I am therefore optimistic that our interactions would be directed at efforts at curtailing political violence; creating the right atmosphere for the exchange of democratic ideas while guaranteeing that no one is harmed for their political choices.”
He urged participants to ensure that the ideas generated at the summit are translated into concrete actions capable of insulating communities from crime and sustaining long-term peace across the South-East.
