State Police will Tackle Nigeria’s Security Challenges, Atiku Insists
* Submission of memoranda by govs waste of time, says Makinde
Chuks Okocha in Abuja
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has reiterated his call for the establishment of the state police to improve the deteriorating security crisis in the country.
This is coming as Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has described the submission of memoranda on state police by governors as a waste of time.
Atiku, who reacted to the clamour on his X account, said state police in the local government and the states will handle the hydra-headed security challenges facing Nigeria.
He called for the speeding up of the processes of establishing state police as well as the necessary constitutional processes.
The former vice president explained that due to the security challenges Nigeria is gradually becoming a killing field given the operations of bandits, kidnappers, and armed robbers.
According to the former vice president, “We have to prioritise security and speed up the process of a constitutional amendment that will introduce state police so that states and local authorities can deploy mechanisms that best suit their environment in tackling this hydra-headed insecurity in our land.”
Atiku further lamented the insecurity in Nigeria, saying, “It is saddening that Nigeria has become a killing field. Thursday’s killing of scores of persons, including the village head, and abduction of an unspecified number of people by suspected bandits in Madaka, in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State, is yet another confirmation that contrary to assurances, insecurity continues to be rife in our country.
“My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the bereaved and the government and people of Niger State,” he stated.
In a related development, Governor Makinde of Oyo State has described the submission of memoranda on state police by his colleagues as a waste of time.
Makinde, who stated this in an interview on television at the weekend, faulted 16 governors’ submission of a report on the matter to the National Economic Council (NEC).
NEC had last Thursday confirmed receiving memoranda from 16 governors who expressed their support for the establishment of state police to address the myriads of security challenges facing the country.
But 20 other governors were yet to forward their reports to enable the NEC to act on them.
Reacting to the development, Makinde said: “I did not submit any memorandum on state police but my position is very clear about state police. I see it, quite frankly, as a waste of our time.
“I did not submit, not because of arrogance but because I don’t think the approach will quickly get us to where we want to go. You are asking the states to submit memoranda on how state police will work?” he queried.
Makinde said the issue of the state police can best be handled by the National Assembly and not the NEC or the National Security Adviser (NSA).
He argued that the issue must pass through the parliament since it is a constitutional matter before being replicated at the state houses of assembly.
The governor said: “The National Assembly, they know what to do. They have people that can quickly do this work. It is not the National Security Adviser or the National Economic Council that will deal with the issue of state police.
“It is a constitutional thing and should go to the National Assembly and then at the state level, we get our state houses of assembly to pass this law,” he added.
