The presidency’s backing for state and community policing, Wednesday, has elicited mixed reactions from some eminent Nigerians.
Why we need state, community police – Osinbajo
Yemi Osinbajo, Vice President who disclosed that 15 states have agreed to allocate 5000 hectares of land for cattle ranching and livestock production: “It will be recalled that the Senate had, on November 30, 2017, inaugurated the Ad-Hoc Committee on Review of Security Infrastructure in the Country.
This came about because we were increasingly concerned at the spate of crises and insecurity in many parts of the country, and knew that we needed to do something about it. The Committee had a broad mandate; to look into the problem and prepare a report outlining a different approach for dealing with the issue.
“The first is that the nature of our security challenges is complex and nuanced. Securing Nigeria’s over 923,768 square kilometers and its 180 million people, requires far more men and materials than we have at the moment. It also requires a continual re-engineering of our security architecture and strategies. This has to be a dynamic process.
For a country our size to meet the 1 policeman to 400 persons UN prescribed ratio, would require nearly tripling our current police force, far more funding of the police, military and security agencies is required.
“Secondly, we cannot realistically police a country the size of Nigeria centrally from Abuja. State Police and other community policing methods are clearly the way to go.
“Thirdly, we must intensify existing collaboration with our neighbours in the Chad Basin, especially border communities to prevent the movement of small arms, and disarming armed pastoralists and bandits who go through our borders day after day.
“Lastly, we must avoid the dangers of allowing these conflicts to harden to religious or ethnic conflicts. This is the responsibility of political, religious and all other parts our leadership elite in Nigeria.”
Executive can’t address the problem alone – Saraki
Saraki, who noted that Nigeria needed a leadership with the political will to combat insecirity, said that the Executive cannot solve the problems alone, adding that all hands must be on deck to address the problems because the killings in the land are intolerable cycle of hell that must be broken and cannot be the new normal.
Saraki said: “What our country needs at this time is leadership that will work to douse the flames and reduce tension in the land. It is essential that we lower the barriers in our actions and rhetoric, and refrain from playing politics with a crisis situation in which Nigerian lives are being lost, tragically and needlessly, on a regular basis.
“To the Executive, I say this: you cannot do it alone – and this is why we are all here to join efforts. It is all hands on deck. No one person, organisation or arm of government can single-handedly tackle the hydra-headed monster of insecurity.
The Constitution makes it clear that the safety of lives and property of citizens is the responsibility of government. We in government must therefore do everything in our power to ensure that Nigerians are safe from harm, and their livelihoods and belongings are protected.”
Support for State Police, a mirage – Mohammed
Reacting to the presidency’s backing for state and community policing, Second Republic Lawmaker, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, said the presidency’s support for state police is a mirage.
“For all I care, the All Progressives Congress, APC, has now turned everything into politics. They are only trying to cajole Nigerians with the support for State Police when they have actually refused to show leadership. APC has refused to show capability in running the government but they are now trying to hook Nigerians with the issue of state police,” he said.
It is a welcome development but — Okurounmu
Senator Femi Okurounmu described the move as a welcome development but insisted that restructuring should be looked into holistically.
He said: “State Police is one of the aspects of restructuring Nigerians are yearning for and for us, it is a welcome development if the President throws his weight behind it. However, we want the complete package of restructuring and not just one out of the whole process.”
It should be referred to the National Assembly – Opara
Hon. Austin Opara, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, said if the APC is serious about restructuring, they should refer the issue to the National Assembly.
His words: “State Police is one of things the country needs but I believe restructuring should be holistic. If this government is serious and ready to listen to the yearnings of the masses, the report should be forwarded to the National Assembly. Government should do the right thing and leave this window dressing restructuring being done by Governor El-Rufai.”
It’s a step in the right direction – Osuntokun
A leading member of the Coalition for Nigeria Movement, CNM, Mr. Akin Osuntokun said it is a step in the right direction, if the government is serious.
“We have just been hearing it as talking points by government functionaries including I believe, the vice president. If the government is seriously minded to pursue the initiative, it is a step in the right direction. But don’t forget that the government cannot do it as an executive order. It has to go through a country wide constitutional amendment procedure. Given the current national security meltdown, all channels must be harnessed to tame the monster,” he said.
