• Friday, March 29, 2024
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BusinessDay

Insecurity: Stakeholders insist on decentralisation of police

#ENDSARS: IGP orders deployment of anti-riot Police officers to protect lives, property

Stakeholders from the South-East geopolitical zone have called for a constitutional amendment that would guarantee the decentralisation of the police as part of efforts to address the security challenges facing the country.

In a statement issued by the director of the Neighbourhood Environment Watch Foundation (NEWF), Kelechi Okezie, Tuesday, in Abakaliki, the group at a dialogue organised by the NEWF at Owerri emphasised the imperative for national unity, security and development.

They condemned the festering insecurity bedevilling parts of the country, including the South-East zone.

According to them, the dialogue sponsored by the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development (SCDDD) is part of conscious efforts to address the lingering security challenges plaguing the nation.

Participants at the event reiterated the need for restructuring of the country in line with true federalism, the decentralisation of the police and security of the nation.

They called for resource control where each state would be allowed to harness its resources and use them to develop their zone with certain percentage given to the federal government.

“A situation where states’ resources are harvested by the federal and little or none is given to the resource-rich states is unacceptable and has given rise to social and economic inequality.

“There is the need for restructuring of the country in line with true federalism and the decentralisation of the police and security of the nation.

“Decentralisation of police will enhance effective policing and timely intervention in crime situations.

“There is the need for the promotion of inclusive governance and full integration of the zone in the mainstream political governance and security architecture of the country where appointments are devoid of nepotism, tribalism and religious affiliation”.