The Northern Elders Forum has called on the federal and northern state governments to take action to immediately set up state police to tackle the deterioration of security in the north.
NEF’s Director of Publicity and Advocacy, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, made the appeal in a statement on Saturday.
This followed the statement of the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who told State House correspondents that President Bola Tinubu, during an emergency meeting with the 36 state governors and Minister of the FCT, were considering the possibility of setting up state police.
In his statement, Suleiman noted that the issue was a “pressing concern,” that needed to be addressed immediately, noting however that there were concerns of potential abuse of power by politicians who may manipulate the state police for their gains.
The statement explained that the longer governments delay in setting up state police, the more lives will be lost and the more property will be destroyed.
It added that the northern region has been plagued by various forms of insecurity, including terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping.
The NEF’s spokesperson added that the issue of security in Nigeria is a pressing concern that needs to be addressed urgently, noting that current centralised policing system has proven to be inadequate in effectively combating crime and ensuring the safety of citizens.
Suleiman also argued that the state police would allow for a more localised approach to law enforcement, which he said would enable an understanding of the needs of the people and effective combating of crime in respective states.