Eghene Ogoh, a member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, has canvassed for the setting up of state police across the country as a way out of the nation’s worsening security situation.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) government and Muhammadu Buhari led-administration have continued to receive criticism for their inability to tackle the security challenges bedeviling the country which has worsened in recent years.
There has been an increase in attacks and banditry, especially in many Northern states which has led to the untimely deaths of hundreds of people, displacing thousands in recent years.
Last week in Katsina State, a billboard bearing the picture of President Buhari and the Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari was burnt by protesters in Yantumaki town in Danmusa Local Government area of the state.
Currently, there are protests in some towns in Katsina State by aggrieved residents over the increasing attacks, kidnapping and killings by bandits in the state.
But speaking Thursday in a Channels television Morning programme, Sunrise Daily, Ogoh noted that state police was the only way forward since the current Nigeria Police structure which was “unduly centralised” had failed to tackle the security challenges.
He added that since the state governors were the chief security officers of their various states the setting up of state police would aid them to galvanise effort to take drastic steps towards solving the security challenges in their domain, stressing that the President Muhammadu Buahri must not solely be held responsible for the worsening security challenges across Nigeria.
“The best way to solve the security problem is to have state police; I can say that the governors have the resources if they want to do it; they would do it. Somebody has to be held accountable for the security situation.
“The governors are the chief security officers of their states, and with state police they can galvanise resources and necessary things done for the success of the state police. I don’t think it is proper to be blaming the President all the time for the security situation,” Ogoh said.
Speaking further, the federal lawmaker said a bill for the setting up of state police had been submitted at the National Assembly, which would soon enter first reading, he, however, denied insinuations that states would not have resources to fund the police when setup, stressing that several of the states and private individuals were already spending huge amount of money on equipping the federal police and other security apparatuses in their states, whereas such money could be channeled to such when setup,” he said.
According to him, “A bill has been submitted and would soon enter first reading in the National Assembly on state police; we did that because without security you cannot attract investment to your state; people cannot drive on the roads freely then. I cannot come and invest, when I cannot even sleep with my eyes closed as it is now,” he added.
