SAN FRANCISCO, February 13, (THEWILL) – The Chairman, Nigerian Governors Forum and Governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari, has revealed that the Governors have declared their support for the creation of state police.
This was revealed at the closing of the two-day summit on National Security organised by the Senate, state governors and the federal parliament.
THEWILL recalls that Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, at the opening of the event on Thursday last week, declared that state police was “the way to go” in view of the numerous security challenges bedeviling the country.
“We cannot realistically police a country the size of Nigeria centrally from Abuja,’’ he argued as he mentioned several killings that had taken place in different parts of the country in recent times.
According to him, for the country of our size to meet the one policeman to 400 persons approved by the UN, it will require triple of our current police force, far more funding of the police, the military and security agencies.
Participants, who included the leadership and members of the Senate, Governors and service chiefs, as well as community, religious and traditional leaders, also raised the issue of restructuring and true federalism at the summit.
Speaking with journalists at the NAF Centre Abuja venue, Yari, however, suggested that the implementation of state policing should be introduced in phases due to the cost implication.