The Abia North Consultative Assembly (ANCA) has urged the Abia State government to convene an emergency security summit. The group insists immediate action is needed to combat what it describes as an “increasingly unstoppable insurgency, thraldom of decay, and orchestrated vulnerability.”
ANCA, a coalition of elders from Abia North, released a press statement on Thursday, May 22, 2025. The statement, signed by the group’s chairman, Dr. Engr Odo Ijere, and its secretary, Rev. Dr. O.C. Obioha JP, warned of rising security threats in the region.
The group called on the Abia State governor, Dr. Alex Otti, to “quickly rise to his constitutional duties as the chief security officer of the state by mounting the driving wheel of securing the citizens of God’s own state.”
Call for a Security Summit
ANCA urged the governor to follow Imo State’s example and organize an “all-inclusive security summit” to address the growing threats facing Abia. The group referenced the Imo Security Summit of May 20, 2025, which it described as a crucial moment for reassessing security strategies.
“There’s no gainsaying that this meeting was a sort of resetting of their collective psyche in readiness to confront the unknown that every concerned and patriotic citizen of this country believes would be an imminent danger lurking on everyone’s doorstep,” the statement read.
The group expressed fears about a potential invasion by “elements believed to be of Fulani descent, both foreign and local, preparing to unleash mayhem on the innocent Indigenous population.” ANCA warned that the government appears unable to protect the citizens, making local security initiatives essential.
“This is a timely clarion call on the Abia State government to adopt the Imo State template,” the group urged.
Mobilizing Local Vigilantes
ANCA warned of vulnerabilities along Abia’s northern borders, particularly in Arochukwu, Ohafia, Bende, Isiukwuato, and Umunneochi. The group stressed that communities across Nigeria are mobilizing local vigilantes to safeguard themselves against attacks.
“Every community around the country is mobilising local vigilantes and neighbourhood militias to protect themselves,” ANCA said.
It emphasized that Abia State must not lag behind in securing its territory. “We must put on our emergency protective gear like other states. Security must become everyone’s business in God’s own state.”
Strengthening Local Security Structures
The group recommended empowering the Ministry of Homeland Security and bolstering the Office of the Security Adviser to coordinate vigilante forces and security responses at critical flashpoints.
ANCA also referred to past warnings from General T.Y. Danjuma, who cautioned against foreign militia invasions. The group claimed similar alerts have come from the Director General of DSS and other security experts.
“There’s this strange feeling of invasion by foreign and local Fulani elements preparing to unleash mayhem,” ANCA warned. “Government appears helpless, and people must protect themselves.”
It reiterated that its formation was driven by necessity, emphasizing that its primary mission is to safeguard lives and land in Abia North. ANCA expressed hope that its long-standing efforts to establish local security systems would finally result in meaningful action.
“Let us hope that our efforts to form the ANCA movement, with security of our homeland as our main focus, is not in vain after all,” the statement concluded.
Nigeria has experienced widespread mass killings, with farming communities often targeted. The South East has not been immune to these threats. With security forces stretched thin due to ongoing battles against insurgency and banditry across the nation, more voices—like ANCA—are advocating for local self-defence measures.
Communities are forming vigilantes to protect their land, their lives, and their future against an increasingly volatile security situation.
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