Delta Online Publishers Forum (DOPF) has called on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to urgently sign and implement the Delta State Community Security Corps Agency Law, 2025, warning that continued delay could further expose communities to violent crime and insecurity.
In a formal letter addressed to the governor, Emmanuel Enebeli, Chairman, and Shedrack Onitsha, Secretary of DOPF, the media body expressed deep concern over what they described as worsening security conditions across the state.
They cited persistent attacks on farmers by armed herdsmen, widespread kidnapping for ransom, and other violent crimes that are undermining livelihoods, food security, and public confidence in government.
The appeal follows the passage of the Community Security Corps Agency Law by the Delta State House of Assembly on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, after what the lawmakers described as a full legislative process.
The bill was sponsored by Hon. (Dr.) Isaac Anwuzia, Chairman of the House Committee on Peace and Security, and repeals the earlier 2020 version of the law.
According to the authors of the letter, the new law was designed to create a more effective and legally grounded framework for community-based policing and grassroots security operations.
They explained that the proposed Community Security Corps Agency is intended to complement conventional security agencies, improve local intelligence gathering, and enable faster response to security threats at the community level, similar to the Amotekun model in South-West Nigeria.
While commending Governor Oborevwori for signing the Delta State Anti-Terrorism and Anti-Cultism (Amendment) Law, 2025, and for establishing the Delta State Security Trust Fund, the group expressed concern that the Community Security Corps Agency Law has remained unsigned several months after its passage.
They also referenced the Delta State Anti-Open Grazing Law, enacted during the previous administration, which they said has remained largely unenforced despite continued attacks on farmlands by herders. According to them, the failure to back security laws with operational structures has left many communities vulnerable.
The letter further warned of emerging security risks linked to the displacement of armed groups from Nigeria’s North-East, following recent international military operations. The writers suggested that such groups could migrate to “softer” regions, including parts of the Niger Delta, if preventive measures are not urgently taken.
They stressed that signing the law must be accompanied by immediate implementation steps, including the establishment of recruitment guidelines, training standards, funding arrangements, oversight mechanisms, and coordination protocols with existing security agencies.
The group urged Governor Oborevwori to treat the assent and activation of the law as a priority in the new year, describing it as a critical reassurance to residents that their safety and livelihoods are being protected.
They concluded by appealing to the governor to demonstrate proactive leadership by ensuring that the Community Security Corps Agency Law becomes an active tool for safeguarding lives, farms, and investments across Delta State.
