The Oyo State governor, Engr Seyi Makinde; the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi; and the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, on Wednesday advised the Federal Government to back the establishment of state police to tackle insecurity.
The leaders spoke at a meeting organised by the Oyo State government with traditional rulers across the 33 local government areas of the state, held at the House of Chiefs, Parliament Building, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.
Also at the meeting were a former governor of Oyo State, Senator Rashidi Ladoja; deputy governor of the state, Alhaji Rauf Olaniyan; Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin; Garrison Commander 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Ibadan, Brig-Gen Adesoji Ogunsugba; Commissioner of Police in the state, Mrs. Ngozi Onadeko; as well as Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi Ajagungbade III, represented by Oba Oyetunji Ojo; and other traditional rulers.
They identified defects in the operation of the constitution of Nigeria as the bane of insecurity threatening the corporate existence of the nation, and warned that without the approval of state police by the Federal Government, the country would only be running in a circle and no appreciable progress would be made in the fight against security challenges.
According to them, the operation of the constitution of Nigeria ought to reflect a true federal nature of the country, adding that in reality, Nigeria is operating a unitary system, which has made it difficult for the country to overcome its festering security issues. They were optimistic that the governors would be rightly positioned to decisively tackle peculiar insecurity cases in their respective states, if the Federal Government approved creation of state police.
The Garrison Commander of the 2 Division of Nigerian Army and the Commissioner of Police in the state, said security agencies have been working and would continue to work to ensure security of lives and property. They, however, called on the public to give them credible information to work with.
Governor Makinde, in his address, described security as one of the four pillars of the Roadmap for Accelerated Development in Oyo State 2019 to 2023, adding that other pillars that his administration stands on are health, education, and expansion of economy.
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