Osun Monarch Calls for Better Funding for Police, Pledges Donation

Chiemelie Ezeobi

The Oluwo of Iwo in Osun State, Oba Abdul Rasheed Adewale Akanbi, has called on the presidency and the appropriate authorities to ensure that the necessary funds are made available for effective policing.

The first class monarch who made this disclosure during a courtesy visit to the Lagos State Police Command, urged the Federal government to roll out special funding for the police if crime rate and terrorism must drop.

As a show of faith, he also pledged to import a container load of police accoutrements and donate it to the Nigerian police.

Akanbi, who said the Nigeria police cannot perform magic when it is poorly funded, said, “Nigeria police is highly underfunded. Oversea, police is well funded because it is the mirror.

“Why should government not fund the police very well when they are the one tasked to protect lives and property? It is risky to underfund an institution armed with guns to protect lives. Police would not be corrupt if they are well funded.

“The life of the people are in the hands of the police, therefore, government must take their funding seriously. I pledge to import a container load of police accoutrements and donate it to the Nigeria police as my contribution and the people of Iwo land to security.

” The Nigeria Police has a special place in my heart because some of my friends and subjects are police officers.”

The Oluwo of Iwo is among the leading traditional rulers in Osun State because of the importance of Oluwo stool in Yoruba history.