Insecurity: Former Minister Advocates Decentralisation of Policing System

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

Former Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, has canvassed for a decentralised policing system in the country in order to address the incessant security challenges facing the country.

 The minister, who is also the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Kwara Central senatorial district in the 2023 polls, also said there is a need for new ideas to take Nigeria out of the current socio-economic and political predicaments and make it work again.

Speaking in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, yesterday during the interactive session with the Association of Kwara Online Media Professionals, Abdullahi stated that: “What we need presently in the country is where the government at sub-national levels can actually man up their duties as the chief security officers of their states.”

He said the continued centralisation of the policing system is no longer important in view of the security challenges in the polity.

Abdullahi added that: “It is worrisome that many innocent Nigerians have been wasted without any just cause despite huge resources committed to the hands of those at the central government in the name of waging war against insecurity.

“But, I believe that if the funds meant for insecurity are decentralised to the appropriate quarters at both state and local levels, there will be reduction in the reported cases of insecurity in the country.”

The veteran journalist and author stated further that “at this critical point of our national existence, people should not run for office in the name of chasing political clouts but the readiness and ability to contribute their quota in making the country work again.

“Such conversations that will bring solutions to these national issues affecting all of us will take place at the National Assembly and that is why I am running for Senate. I want to be part of those men that will make Nigeria work again, because it is not working now.”

While lamenting the level of poverty in the country, Abdullahi noted that: “Majority of Nigerians are poor. Anyone in Nigeria today who is not stealing money from anywhere is a poor man, because the government has failed in its responsibilities to the people.

“It is becoming so expensive to live in any part of the country-from health, transportation, education and all other sectors-the cost continues to skyrocket while the quality is dropping. An average Nigerian can hardly survive on N500,000 monthly income in recent time.”

Talking about his ‘Big Idea’ campaign, Abdullahi said: “I am not claiming to have the biggest ideas, but I am saying that going forward, we shouldn’t just be campaigning about building hospitals or schools but how to deliver quality, cost effective healthcare system, education, transportation system among others that would make life better and easier for the people.

“We should start talking about preventive healthcare that would even reduce our national expenditure on health and save us money to serve the people better.

“We need to have the humility to challenge the way we’ve always done things, so that we don’t continue to have the same results. We must do things differently if we desire a positive change.”

Speaking about managing a clash of political interest and masses’ interest on critical national issues, Abdullahi said his party is pro-people, and that he believes there won’t be cause for the party to do anything against the people’s interest, because the government is all about the people.

Responding to questions about his sojourn as a state Commissioner for Education, which has been subject of controversy, Abdullahi said: “At no time did I slap any teacher. How will I do such? I had requested for the rumored teacher to come out but it was all false. In which school did it happen? Who are the colleagues of the teacher? Who was the headmaster?”