Court Disbands Ebubeagu Security Outfit In Southeast Nigeria

Many residents have complained that the outfit has become a terror for the communities it was created to protect, especially in Ebonyi and Imo states where the outfit had been launched and operational.

A Federal High Court in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital, Southeast Nigeria, has disbanded the Ebubeagu Security Outfit in the state.

Ebubeagu is a regional security outfit established by Southeast governors to confront insecurity, especially vicious attacks by criminals suspected to be herders, which have forced people to abandon their farms.

However, many residents have complained that the outfit has become a terror for the communities it was created to protect, especially in Ebonyi and Imo states where the outfit had been launched and operational.

Several cases of human rights abuse, especially extrajudicial killings of local residents have been traced to the outfit in Imo and Ebonyi.

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However, following the alarming cases of brutality and extrajudicial killings, the Federal High in Abakaliki on Tuesday disbanded the outfit, according to the report from our correspondent.

It cited cases of human rights abuse, extortions, illegal arrests and use of firearms.

Although the outfit is a creation of the law, it is not clear how the judgment would stand in the face of security challenges in the country and poorly trained corrupt personnel of the Nigeria Police Force.

Moreover, Nigeria operates a federal system of government where states are federating units, with each state with a police command.