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From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
Elder Statesman, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, said the establishment of state police has become a necessity against the backdrop of the seemingly intractable insecurity in the country .
He also said a governor cannot be chief security officer of a state but remain helpless in the face of external aggression or invasion by bandits only to wait for instructions from Abuja before the security forces can swing into action.
Iwuanyanwu who stated this at a press conference to mark his 79th birthday said insecurity in Nigeria can only be curtailed when the security architecture is restructured to create room for state police .
“The concept of state policing will ensure that laws are enacted giving the security formations created by the various state government powers to use sophisticated ammunition to be able to combat crimes. A governor cannot be the chief security officer of his state but remain helpless in the face of external aggression or invasion of the state by bandits only to wait for instructions from Abuja before the security forces can swing into action to secure his people.”
He maintained that in such a situation, the governors cannot secure the lives and property of their people, which is their primary responsibility.
“Until the security system is restructured to allow indigenous people power to defend their territories. We might never see Nigeria advancing in military intelligence. State policing will also help the local people gather local intelligence to be able to fish out criminals from their midst as it will involve indigenous people in its formations.”
He added that why it is difficult for the military intelligence to uncover those responsible, Nigeria has become a fertile ground for banditry and kidnapping for money.
“It is alarming how bandits could kidnap students and their teachers in a broad daylight as it happened in Zamfara State few days ago. I must sincerely say that the military is not doing enough,” he lamented.
