As part of measures aimed at strengthening security and enhancing peaceful coexistence across the state, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, on Sunday, 21 June, 2026 announced the engagement of at least 2,277 village youth presidents in his administration’s security management architecture.
Eno, who made the announcement while speaking at a strategic town hall engagement with the village youth presidents held at the Uyo Township Stadium, Uyo, on Sunday, 21 June, 2026, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to providing a safe and secure environment for citizens.
“While we have done our utmost to ensure that Akwa Ibom State citizens feel safe and live in a peaceful environment, it has become necessary to take additional measures at the local level to widen, deepen and retool the state’s security architecture.
“This idea, therefore, requires that we integrate our village youth presidents, who are strong, dynamic and resident in their various villages, into our security mechanism”, Eno said.
According to the Governor, the approach would afford the village youth leadership the opportunity to provide security agencies with the necessary intelligence and collaboration for more effective security operations in the state.
“Henceforth, the village youth presidents will now form part of our security architecture. We will provide you with adequate training after your proper profiling, starting from tomorrow, on a local government basis, ”Uno, just as he, however, warned that integrating them into the security architecture did not in any way elevate them above the village leadership structure.
“By integrating you into the security architecture, we are not elevating you above the village leadership structure; you remain part of the structure”.
Eno vowed to equip the youths to work with the state Police Command and other security agencies, as well as local government chairmen, directed council chairmen to immediately appoint supervisors in charge of security in their respective local government areas.
According to him, the supervisors would provide proper coordination for the youth leadership saddled with security responsibilities in their communities and support the village youth presidents in effectively discharging their duties.
He disclosed that the new youth security apparatus would be managed by the Ibom Community Watch.
“This move is geared towards ensuring that any noticeable gaps between the police, security agencies and local communities are eliminated, ensuring the free flow of information and actionable intelligence between the local communities and security agencies,” he said.
He charged the youth presidents and other youths across the state to see the initiative as a higher calling that requires patriotism, integrity and dedication.
The Governor also urged all security agencies in the state to provide every assistance and necessary training to ensure that the village youth presidents become valuable sources of intelligence gathering and neighbourhood watch activities.
