16 governors endorse state police – NEC

Worried by the security challenges facing the country, 16 state governors have endorsed the establishment of state police.

The National Economic Council disclosed this on Thursday in a report submitted to the Council at its 140th meeting held virtually and chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning Atiku Bagudu who briefed State House Correspondents virtually after the meeting said out of the 36 states, 20 state governors and the FCT were yet to make their submissions.

However, he did not mention the states.

The governors who submitted their memos also called for the review of the Nigerian Constitution.

In the meantime, NEC has also received the abridged report of the ad-hoc committee on Crude Oil Theft Prevention and Control.

The committee identified the areas of oil leakages in the oil industry while observing cases of infractions.

The committee chaired by Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo state calls for political will to effect changes and reforms.

There has been clamour for state police as Nigeria grapples with worsening security challenges such as kidnapping and banditry.

Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had on February 12 restated their position on state policing, as the solution to the country’s worsening security situation, lamenting that Nigeria is “almost on the road to Venezuela”.

Also, regional socio-political groups such as Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Middle Belt Forum, and the Northern Elders’ Forum, have repeatedly called for state police as a solution to the myriad of increasing security challenges confronting the nation.

Already, states in the South-West geopolitical zone have formed the Amotekun while their counterparts in the South-East also created a security outfit Ebube Agu. The Benue Guards has also been operational in Benue State in the North Central while states like Katsina, Zamfara, and other bandit-prone sub-nationals have also come up with similar state-established outfits.

However, these outfits have not been as effective as anticipated as they do not have the backing of the Federal Government. States continue to demand that Amotekun, Ebube Agu, and others be granted license to bear assault rifles like AK-47s to confront lethal gun-toting marauders.