President Bola Tinubu and state governors, yesterday, agreed to establish state police in the country as part of measures to check the rising wave of insecurity in the country.
This was one of the six high points of an emergency meeting summoned by the President at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday, in view of economic hardship in the country and upsurge of insecurity in different parts of the country.
The emergency meeting also had in attendance Vice President Kashim Shettima, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, Nyesom Wike.
Specifically, President Tinubu approved the establishment of a committee comprising state governors and representatives of the Federal Government to, among other things, explore modalities for establishing state police.
The President and the state governors also discussed the possibility of improving the numerical strength of forest rangers to train them so that they can keep our forests and borders very safe.
Following a spike in insecurity across the country, there have been calls by some stakeholders and ethnic nationalities groups for establishment of state police as was practiced in the First Republic before it was abolished by the Military.
Currently, many states have vigilante groups and the South-West zone has Amotekun The President also directed security chiefs especially the National Security Adviser, NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; Director-General of the Department of State Service, DSS, Yusuf Bichi; and the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, to crack down on those hoarding food commodities and bring them to book.
It will be recalled that since President Tinubu on May 29 said “subsidy is gone”inauguration speech, the economy has witnessed a downward spiral with the attendant hardship and high cost of living leading to protests in some states of the country.
Although, President Tinubu has directed his economic team, including all relevant officials in the government to find a way to ameliorate the situation, the Special Presidential Committee on Emergency have been given approval to make available about 102,000 metric tons of assorted items including rice, maize, millet among others.
Governors who attended the meeting were those of Ekiti, Delta, Borno, Lagos, Kwara, Nasarawa, Edo, Yobe, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Plateau, Kaduna, Sokoto, Niger, Taraba, Adamawa, Cross River, Ogun and Enugu. President Tinubu also informed the governors that the Federal Government would work with them and the National Assembly towards putting in place a mechanism that will engender state police instead of the vigilantes that are being used in some states.
He charged the governors to pay attention to livestock development in their states and increase production most especially poultry and fishing products. The president also pleaded with Governors to ensure all salary arrears to workers and gratuities to retired workers and pensioners are cleared as a way to put money into the hands of the people since states are now getting more monthly FAAC revenue.
They also urged the governors to create economy opportunities for youths in their states. He urged the governors to deal with the problems of hoarding in their states. Tinubu’s position on state police, food security Addressing the meeting, President Tinubu said: “My position at this meeting is that we must move aggressively and establish a committee to look critically at the issues raised, including the possibility of establishing state police.
‘’From Kano, we have read reports about largescale hoarding of food in some warehouses. The National Security Adviser, NSA, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Director-General of the Department of State Services, DSS, should coordinate very closely and ensure that security agencies in the states inspect such warehouses with follow-up action.
‘’We must ensure that speculators, hoarders, and rent seekers are not allowed to sabotage our efforts in ensuring the wide availability of food to all Nigerians.
Credit: Vanguard
