Governor David Umahi says bandits, not Eastern Security Network, are responsible for rising South-East crimes.

He made the comments following several accusations that the ESN is responsible for the worsening insecurity in the region.

The South-East governors had earlier disowned the ESN, a security outfit formed by Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB’s leader.

However, Mr Umahi, on Channels TV on Wednesday, said those committing crimes in the name of ESN in the region were bandits.

“Of late, we have bandits doing a lot of evil, and they say they are Eastern Security Network. They commit a lot of crimes and say that they are IPOB, and most of the time, IPOB will come and say they have no hand in the attacks.

“We would not allow illegality to thrive in our land,” Mr Umahi said.

The region’s rising security challenges had forced the governors to form a regional security organisation, ‘Ebube Agu.’

Shortly after forming the security outfit, gunmen attacked a community in Ohaukwu local government area in Ebonyi on Sunday. 

In January 2020, to tackle the seeming intractable insecurity in the South-West, governors in the region had formed the Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN), popularly known as Amotekun.

The forming of various local security groups has not stemmed the rising tide of kidnapping, looting, and killings across the country, particularly in the northern region.