Nigerians, corporate organisations, associates, banks, among others—especially those doing business with the Abia State Government—yesterday gathered in Umuahia, the state capital, and announced varying donations during the public launch of the Abia State Security Trust Fund.
At the end of the event held at the Ochendo International Conference Centre, about N4 billion in donations were estimated to have been announced, with Chief Deji Adeleke (Davido’s father) announcing N500 million, Chief Arthur Eze’s N200 million, and Chairman/CEO of Innoson Motors, Chief Innocent Ifediaso Chukwuma, N100 million.
While some banks announced N100 million each, some contractors handling major state projects announced between N10 million and N100 million.
Hon. Alex Ikwechegh of APGA, representing Aba Constituency in the House of Representatives, announced N20 million, describing his constituency as the biggest beneficiary of the state’s infrastructure development and security.
The State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, in his address, said that the Fund launch is as provided in the Abia State Security Trust Fund Law 2024, which empowers the state to set up a specialised framework for mobilising, managing, and deploying resources in support of security infrastructure across the state.
He said that to counter the enormous cost of security crises, people should take more than a passing interest in security issues in their neighbourhoods, places of business, and in the larger community, in order to tackle security challenges and remain ahead of criminals.
According to Governor Otti, the launch is another layout programme in his holistic security outlook, focusing on the prevention of criminal activities, pointing out that while “insecurity creates economic and social crises, impoverishes the population, it makes refugees of individuals and families in their homeland.”
Otti said that his administration had demonstrated prudence in the management of resources, reassuring that donations to the Fund would continue to be judiciously applied.
He recalled that on assumption of office, he committed to recovering every Abia territory from the criminals, and expressed delight that through ‘Operation Crush’—a security outfit he set up—and his other security interventions, Abia State became relatively peaceful.
He paid tribute to those who lost their lives in the course of protecting the state.
Chairman of the State Trust Fund Board of Trustees, Mr. Obiamaraije Stanley, who was represented by his Vice Chairman, Chief Johnson Chukwu, said the Trust Fund, as established by law, is a public-private partnership initiative designed to mobilize resources from both governmental and non-governmental stakeholders to enhance the operational capabilities of security agencies within the state.
“The overall goal is simple: to provide logistics, equipment, communication tools, surveillance infrastructure, and other critical support to enable security agencies respond effectively to challenges in real time.”
Also, the Secretary of the Trust Fund and Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Legal Matters, Mrs. Nkolika Cleopatra Ubani, canvassed the support of all stakeholders to the State Trust Fund towards sustaining peace and order through a preventive approach to crime fighting.
Positing that security ought to be everyone’s business, the Chairman of the event, Ide John Udeagbala, who announced a N20 million donation, urged all to contribute by supporting and complementing the government’s efforts to secure the state.
In their separate remarks, Hon. Ikwechegh, the serving Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Hon. Dr. Nkeiruka Onyejiocha, and former Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Uche Ogah, corroborated that the security of the state and nation should be everybody’s business and not only that of governments. Hence, they lauded Governor Otti’s security initiative.
They stressed the need for all to commit to ensuring that Abia State and Nigeria are safe, as well as support the Security Trust Fund project of Governor Otti, which they described as a laudable initiative.
