Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi has thrown his weight behind the establishment of state policing in Nigeria.
The monarch, while speaking on behalf of the traditional institution at the national dialogue on state policing organised by the House of Representatives on Monday in Abuja, said Nigeria need State police to help in tackling the current insecurity in the country.
He further revealed that the traditional rulers were feeling the impact of the current security challenges more than other leaders.
He stated categorically that it was time to walk the talk and do something that would be impactful to the people.
He said: “We have not seen anybody that has a contrary opinion to this. So technically the people have spoken. The people’s house. So I would commend you. But please swing into action. it is about time. Do something that would be impactful to people. it is very important.
“Everybody is heading towards the same direction. So besides talking the talk, let’s walk the talk. You have done well at the people’s house. When are we going to implement state police? Give us that commitment and let us have peace in Nigeria. Nigeria is greater than all of us here”.
“Whatever take home that you would have today, we have the entire National Assembly here. Please we are the ones feeling the heat from our people. We are traditional rulers. our palaces are not locked. No traditional ruler in this country would dare lock his palace. It’s not possible.
“But you have lots of police securing the permanent secretary, so many police in Abuja and Lagos. You only come to us when you want to go for election. That is when you come to see us. I mean our political leaders. but we are there. no problem. But enough of talking. let’s stop talking and implement this.
On his part, the Metropolitan Bishop Emeritus of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan said the biggest problems facing the country are not only the thieves and bandits in the bush, but the greater problems lie with the politicians in office who take control of the police force to perpetuate criminality like rigging elections.
He wondered why the country has so many of these security agencies, but still having problems with insecurity.
Onaiyekan noted: “We still have to look at the police we have. We should look at the complaints put out by the IGP on the issues that the police have in terms of welfare, funding, and equipment.
“If we look at the issues like funding and welfare before we establish state police, it will be great. So that when it comes to the time to establish state police, we will see that we split the existing police force into federal and state police. We want to ensure that the state police should be Nigerian. But no matter what we do now, even if we have the best, there is still corruption, there won’t be a solution.
“Our biggest problems are not only the thieves and bandits in the bush, we have greater problems like the politicians in office who take control of the police force to perpetuate criminality like rigging elections”
