Govs Urged to Emulate Peter Mbah’s Tech-First Security Fortress in Enugu

By AWC News Desk | Enugu — Chris Mbah

State Governors have been urged to emulate what Governor Peter Mbah is doing as Enugu State has quietly become Nigeria’s most visible experiment in proactive, tech-driven state security.

Governor Peter Mbah himself wants other governors to take note. In a bold, tightly coordinated push over the last week, Mbah unveiled a suite of surveillance drones, patrol vehicles, and upgraded forest-ranger capacity that together signal a new model for how subnational governments can defend citizens without waiting for miracles from Abuja.

What Enugu Just Deployed — and why it matters

At a commissioning at Government House and the state’s command centre, the governor revealed major additions to the Enugu security architecture: two high-impact surveillance drones (VTOL), 10 Hilux 4×4 patrol trucks, 40 motorcycles, 400 bullet-proof vests and helmets, and an expanded digital command-and-control capability. The equipment was procured via the Enugu State Security Trust Fund (ESSTF) and was described by officials as designed to close gaps in forest surveillance, rapid response and real-time intelligence gathering.

Those additions are more than hardware theatre. Enugu’s approach pairs persistent aerial ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) with on-the-ground forest rangers and a digital command centre that aggregates live drone feeds, patrol telemetry and citizen reports — enabling faster targeting, fewer blind spots and more precise deployment of officers across rural corridors. Local council leaders praised the move as having already reduced crime “by 80%” in some hotspots, a claim the state says is measurable through response-time and incident metrics.

Why this is a game changer for governors

1. Speed and deterrence. Drones see where human patrols cannot; armed, mobile patrols act quickly on verified targets. That combination reduces the sanctuary effect of forests and bushlands.
2. Value for money. Investing in targeted tech and mobility can be cheaper and more sustainable than endlessly expanding static garrisons — especially when financed through state security trusts.
3. Local ownership. Enugu’s model shows that states can design and fund security in ways that respond to local geography and risk, reducing sole dependence on federal deployment cycles.

Hard facts the sceptics cannot ignore

• The new assets were procured through the ESSTF — a locally administered funding vehicle that channels community, state and private resources directly into security capacity. That model avoids bureaucratic delays and makes accountability auditable.
• The drones are VTOL-capable platforms suitable for sustained forest surveillance; paired with night-vision and drone-assisted mapping, they materially raise the cost of hiding for criminal groups.

What other governors should emulate — and what to watch for

Enugu’s playbook is replicable, but not automatic. Successful adoption by other states will require:

• Transparent trust-fund management (clear audits and procurement records).
• Training and doctrine for drone operations, forest-ranger tactics and lawful use of force.
• Inter-agency integration (police, military, NSCDC, state intelligence) to avoid duplication and human-rights abuses.
• Hinterland logistics and maintenance — drones and vehicles need fuel, spares and pilots; states must budget for sustainment, not just acquisition.

The political payoff — and the national lesson

In a country where despair often follows headlines of abductions and attack, Enugu has chosen a different script: measure, invest, act, and report. That posture not only protects citizens; it changes the political calculation for criminals, donors and neighbouring states. If scaled responsibly across the federation, such a model could shrink safe havens, speed prosecutions and restore citizen confidence in government competence.

Bottom line

Peter Mbah’s recent drive is not mere optics — it is a test case. By combining modern surveillance, mobile response, and local financing, Enugu demonstrates that state governments can reclaim security space without waiting for centralized miracles. Other governors should take note: when governance is proactive, well-funded and transparent, the people win — and insecurity loses its most precious commodity: safe hiding space.

Sources: ThisDay; Vanguard; Punch; BusinessDay; AIT.

If you’d like, I can convert this into a short policy brief for governors outlining step-by-step implementation costs, equipment lists, and a model ESSTF governance charter.