The report of the Arms and Personnel Audit Committee, set up by the Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, indicated that the state lost about N194 million yearly to fake and ghost security personnel in the state.

The committee stated this while submitting its report to the governor after it audited operations of two state security outfits, Abia State Vigilante Service (AVS) and Abia Homeland Security Watch (AHLSW).

While presenting the report, yesterday, through the Chief of Staff to the governor, Dr Caleb Ajagba, the committee Chairman, Emmanuel Ogbuehi, said they discovered the existence of ghost/fake workers in both security outfits, disclosing that about N194 million was lost yearly as a result.
Ajagba, who commended the committee members for successfully executing their assignment, said that the Otti administration would study the report and implement appropriate recommendations that would enhance the security of life and property in the state.

According to him, the commitment shown by the committee members in the discharge of their duties was a demonstration that the state has a great future, adding that he was not surprised at their timely delivery, justifying their painstaking selection for the assignment.
Ajagba said it is dangerous to the government for security personnel to be part of ghost workers, adding that for any society to make progress, there must be zero crime and corruption.

The escalated insecurity scenario in the state, especially at Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state, during the tenure of former governor Orji Uzor Kalu, now senator, from 1999 to 2007, necessitated the creation of the state Vigilante Service (Bakassi).

Similarly, the immediate past governor of the state, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, created the Ministry of Homeland Security, which engaged security personnel that were deployed across the state.

Although the two security outfits made some impacts, it was gathered that their funding was within the limit of resources available to the government.

According to a security expert, who pleaded anonymity, the two security outfits operated within operational inadequacies that included irregular payment of salaries, allowances, and logistics.