DOPF Urges Oborevwori to Sign, Implement Community Security Corps Agency Law Amid Rising Insecurity in Delta State

The Delta Online Publishers Forum (DOPF) has called on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to immediately assent to and implement the Delta State Community Security Corps Agency Law, 2025, citing escalating security threats across the state.

In a formal appeal addressed to the governor, the group warned that persistent attacks on farmers by armed herdsmen, kidnappings for ransom, and other violent crimes are undermining livelihoods, food security, and public confidence in governance.

Ejes Gist News reports that the appeal was jointly signed by the Chairman of DOPF, Emmanuel Enebeli, and the Secretary, Shedrack Onitsha, who expressed concern that the law has remained unsigned several months after passage despite growing insecurity.

Legislative Background and Objectives

The Community Security Corps Agency Law was passed by the Delta State House of Assembly on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, following full legislative scrutiny and a third reading. Sponsored by the Chairman of the House Committee on Peace and Security, Hon. (Dr.) Isaac Anwuzia, the law repeals the 2020 version and establishes a comprehensive legal framework for community-based security operations across Delta State.

Also Read: Atiku Reacts to Son’s Defection to APC, Says Decision Is Personal

DOPF said the legislation was designed to strengthen the state’s security architecture by creating a formal Community Security Corps Agency capable of complementing conventional security agencies. The proposed agency would focus on grassroots intelligence gathering, rapid response to local threats, and coordination with federal and state security forces.

The forum drew comparisons to other regional security initiatives, such as Amotekun in the South-West, noting that community-based policing structures have proven effective in addressing local security challenges.

Concerns Over Delay in Assent

While commending Governor Oborevwori for assenting to the Delta State Anti-Terrorism and Anti-Cultism (Amendment) Law, 2025, and for launching the Delta State Security Trust Fund, DOPF expressed concern that the Community Security Corps Agency Law remains unsigned.

Emmanuel Enebeli warned that the delay undermines the operational backbone required for effective grassroots security enforcement. The forum noted that laws without enforcement structures risk becoming symbolic documents rather than tools for protecting citizens.

The group also referenced the Delta State Anti-Open Grazing Law, enacted during a previous administration, stating that it has largely remained unenforced despite continuing attacks by armed herdsmen.

Rising Security Threats

DOPF highlighted the broader national security environment as a reason for urgency. The forum said recent military operations against terrorist groups in the North-East have raised concerns that displaced criminal elements could migrate to regions perceived as less fortified, including parts of the Niger Delta.

Shedrack Onitsha added that the lack of a functional community-based security framework leaves Delta State vulnerable to infiltration by organized criminal networks, threatening rural communities, farmlands, and local businesses.

Call for Immediate Implementation

Beyond urging assent, DOPF called for the immediate establishment of implementation structures, including:

• Recruitment guidelines and selection criteria for community security personnel
• Standardized training and operational protocols
• Sustainable funding mechanisms
• Oversight and accountability frameworks
• Coordination procedures with existing federal and state security agencies

The forum emphasized that signing the law without these operational measures would not yield the intended improvements in public safety.

Public Assurance and Governance

DOPF stated that assenting to and implementing the law would signal a proactive, people-centered governance approach, demonstrating the administration’s commitment to protecting lives, farmlands, and investments.

The forum appealed to Governor Oborevwori to make the law’s signing and activation a priority, describing it as a decisive early-year action to reassure Deltans that legislation enacted for their benefit will be effectively enforced.