Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Tuesday said the creation of the state police force is an idea whose time has come, making it imperative to address the security challenges facing various parts of the country.
The governor claimed that the refusal of the Federal Government several years ago to accede to the request of governors in the South-West for the establishment of a state police force led to the creation of the Western Nigeria Security Network Agency (code-named Amotekun). , said this is important. Because the federal government will take up this issue again.
Mr. Makinde said this at a meeting of the South-West Branch Chairman of the State House of Assembly led by the Ekiti State House of Assembly Chairman and Chairman, Rt. Lord Adeoye Alibasoe.
The speakers paid a courtesy call on the Governor at his office in Ibadan on the occasion of the January 16 explosion in Bodija.
The Governor stressed the need for cooperation and collaboration between the executive and legislative branches of government in order to enjoy the benefits of democracy and bring development to the people.
The governor said: “I would like to point out that we all need to come together, regardless of the political party in office. “This means that the days of elections are over and we must all come together to govern and deliver democratic dividends to our people.
Mr. Makinde, speaking on the security challenges in the country, emphasized that the state police force is an important institution. The idea was timed, and concerns in some quarters that the state would not be able to maintain a state police force were unfounded.
He cited the example of Oyo State, where despite the economic difficulties in the country, the payment of salaries and pensions has never been an issue.
Mr Makinde said: “Many may not know that before Amotekun was implemented in the state, some of us governors went to the Federal Government and sought permission to establish state police forces in different states. , we did not do that.” I got this approval during the era of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“I didn’t agree then, and I still don’t agree now, that states don’t have the capacity to maintain state police. I don’t think the federal government should go to certain states and provide their police with everything they need.
Mr. Makinde said that although the police are on the exclusive list, the responsibility is shared and that each state maintains a police force. He said if we need to run our police system, we need access to the resources to keep it accountable through federal accounts. police.
“The problem of state police being unsustainable will never happen again. Give us the responsibility first and see if a particular state can maintain it.
“But since we could not hire a state police force, we chose Amotekun. All the state legislatures in the South-West passed common law establishing that. We must defend our police, and all of our legislators must do their part to make this happen.”
