MORE GOVERNORS JOIN CALLS FOR CREATION OF STATE POLICE IN NIGERIA
More State Governors have joined in the call for Policing to be removed from the exclusive to the concurrent list of Nigeria's legislative systems, thereby allowing States to own and manage internal security more effectively and efficiently.
This position was made known by the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his counterparts from Kaduna; Nasir El-Rufai, Edo; Godwin Obaseki and Ekiti; Kayode Fayemi, at the first edition of Ekiti State's investment forum, held yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, the State capital.
In his address, the Lagos State Governor stressed the importance of security to investment. He said businesses do not survive or grow in the face of insecurity.
“One point that we should not dropped an eye on is the issue of State Police. We have all talked about it. We should not let this opportunity slip by again.”
The host, Governor Fayemi supported the Lagos State Governor's submission and called it a collective call. "Governor Sanwo-Olu has spoken the minds of Governors collectively that we need multi-level policing arrangements."
Governor Obaseki in his speech also towed the path of his colleagues, stating that Nigeria is merely federated on paper and not in practice. He wondered the version of Unitary-federalism being practiced in Nigeria.
"We will not be able to run away from the fact that States will now have to play much more role in the entire value chain for security", Obaseki said.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai's views were even deeper than that of his colleagues. He noted that the Policing in a multi-cultural federation like Nigeria's ought to be segmented extensively to the local government level.
“My colleagues have articulated it correctly. And the APC through federalism committee has made the case that we need multi-level Policing, not just State Police, even Local Government Police.”
He added that Nigeria’s current Policing system, which is domiciled on the exclusive list of legislature and controlled solely by the Federal Government is the impracticable, irresponsive and unworkable, going forward.
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