The Delta Online Publishers Forum (DOPF) has issued a strong call to the Delta State House of Assembly to abandon its obsolete and unimplemented community security law, and instead enact an entirely new, grassroots-driven legal framework that directly addresses the escalating insecurity in the state.
In a powerful memorandum submitted during a public hearing held Friday, May 9, 2025, at the Assembly Complex in Asaba, the Forum warned that amending the ineffective existing law would be futile.
Instead, it demanded a complete legislative overhaul to establish a functional and people-centric Community Security Corps.
Represented by Vice Chairman Mr. Chukwudi Abiandu and member Christy Agboje, DOPF criticized the current law as lacking clear operational structures, stakeholder inclusion, and enforceability.
“The legislation failed because it was never truly activated,” the Forum declared, calling the situation a missed opportunity in the face of worsening grassroots insecurity.
The public hearing was chaired by Majority Leader, Hon. Engr. Emeka Nwaobi, Ph.D., and Peace and Security Committee Chairman, Hon. Chief Isaac Anwuzia, Ph.D., who received the Forum’s proposals with interest.
Among DOPF’s wide-ranging recommendations were the creation of a defined governance structure, community-based recruitment through local governments, and integration of a communications unit.
It also proposed sustainable funding mechanisms, including statutory allocations and corporate partnerships, as well as inclusive advisory councils featuring traditional rulers, youth groups, women, and media professionals.
The Forum emphasized a phased implementation strategy, with full deployment of the corps within 12 months of the bill’s passage.
It also called for rigorous legislative oversight and human rights safeguards, aligning the law with international standards on community policing.
DOPF’s advocacy dates back to 2020, following the #EndSARS protests, and has since intensified through strategic engagements with the legislature and public sensitization campaigns.
In recent months, the Forum has repeatedly warned that insecurity is steadily creeping into the South and must be confronted as a matter of urgent strategic importance.
