By Adesakin Adefemi
Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno has integrated 2,277 village youth presidents into the state’s security management architecture to strengthen grassroots intelligence and deepen community policing across the state.
The governor announced the move on Sunday, June 22, 2026, during a strategic town hall engagement with the youth leaders at the Uyo Township Stadium. He said the initiative was designed to widen, deepen and retool Akwa Ibom’s security architecture amid rising insecurity concerns nationwide.
“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,” Eno told the gathering. He described village youth presidents as strong, dynamic and resident leaders best positioned to support security operations.
Under the new arrangement, the youth presidents will provide intelligence and collaborate with security agencies. Eno said they would undergo proper profiling and receive adequate training starting Monday, on a local government basis, to equip them for the responsibility.
The governor stressed that the integration would not elevate the youths above traditional village leadership structures. “By integrating you into the security architecture, we are not elevating you above the village leadership structure; you remain part of the structure,” he clarified.
To ensure coordination, Eno directed all local government chairmen to immediately appoint supervisors in charge of security. The supervisors will work with the Police Command, other security agencies, and the youth leadership to support effective discharge of duties at community level.
The governor disclosed that the new youth security apparatus would be managed by the Ibom Community Watch. He said the move would eliminate noticeable gaps between police, security agencies and local communities, ensuring free flow of actionable intelligence.
Eno also charged the Commissioner of Police to expand the Quick Response Squad to cover Akwa Ibom’s 10 federal constituencies. He donated 10 brand-new Hilux vehicles to the Police Command to improve patrol and rapid response across the state.
Addressing the youths, CP Baba Azare commended the governor for prioritizing security and described community participation as the most effective global strategy for crime prevention. Village youth leaders, speaking through Itai James Abraham, pledged support for the administration and promised to deliver on their new security mandate.
