In a major move to permanentize the fragile peace in the South East, Governor Hope Uzodimma has inaugurated the Imo State Vigilante Organisation (ISVO), a community-focused security outfit designed to serve as the grassroots’ “first line of defence.”
The inauguration, held yesterday, marks the culmination of the Imo State Security Organisation (Amendment) Law No. 3 of 2025.
The governor described the current state of calm in Imo as a “deliberate choice” rather than a stroke of luck, asserting that a safe environment is the only way to ensure that “investment meets opportunity.”
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Unlike informal groups of the past, the new vigilante organisation is a product of state law, with officers undergoing rigorous training by statutory security agencies.
This ensures they operate within a legal framework while providing the intelligence-driven support necessary to flush out criminal elements from the grassroots.
The new security architecture is built on several key pillars. It adopts a community-based approach, with personnel drawn from autonomous communities to ensure local knowledge is effectively utilised.
It is also intelligence-driven, as officers are trained in reconnaissance and intelligence gathering to provide timely alerts to statutory security agencies.
Additionally, the structure operates under strict legal oversight, governed by the 2025 Amendment Law to prevent human rights abuses.
It is designed to have a strong grassroots reach, with a mandate to cover every “nook and cranny” where conventional security forces may have limited presence.
Uzodimma delivered a blunt message to residents and traditional rulers.
He noted that criminals are not ghosts; they live within families and communities.
“Perpetrators of crimes against humanity often live within the society,” the Governor warned. “Traditional rulers know their people—the good, the bad, and the ugly. Exposing criminality is a duty, not an option.”
He charged the newly minted officers to live up to the high expectations of the state, urging them to deliver faithfully on their mandate to protect lives and property without compromise.
The governor tied the security push directly to his administration’s 2026 economic goals.
He noted that the peaceful 2025 festive season in formerly volatile areas, such as Orlu and Okigwe, has already boosted investor confidence.
With the launch of the Heartland Resort Park and other urban renewal projects, Uzodimma emphasised that sustaining peace is the only way to translate these “foundational harvests” into concrete prosperity for every Imo household.
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