Governors' Forum inaugurates 6-member committee on policing

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has inaugurated a six-member committee to look into the possibility of establishing State Police in the country.

The Chairman of the Forum, Gov. Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara, made this known while speaking with State House Correspondents after the Forum’ meeting held at the Banquet hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja late Wednesday evening.

Yari said that the committee comprised representatives from the nation’s six geo-political zones.

According to him, the committee is saddled with the responsibility of coming up with the best way of policing the country in view of the nation’s security challenges and its attendant lost of lives.

He stated that decision to set up the committee was reached after a closed-door meeting with the governors and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Alhaji Ibrahim Idris.

“We discussed and we received presentation from the IGP. He made a presentation to us canvassing for the support to introduce media outfits (radio and television) for the force and as well as the Police to adopt technological way of doing things.

“The IGP dominated the whole day of our discussion today understanding what the issue of Police is into the system, whereby in some other nations it is ten to one person but in Nigeria we have four hundred to one.

“So, they are having so many difficulties in funding which we have agreed that with the way things are going through the budgeting process, we cannot be able to fund police.

“So, the IGP made us to know that there is a kind of trust fund bill which is before the National Assembly, he asked for our support and the members of the National Assembly, especially the House of Representatives.

“In our own part, we have put a committee in place. It is headed by the governors of Kwara, Imo, Delta, Ekiti, Bauchi and Sokoto to lead the committee so that they can be able to interface with the committee of Police and take the matter before the Acting President for further action.

“It is important for our nation,’’ he added.

The IGP, who also spoke to the correspondents after his presentation at the meeting said that security challenges in all parts of the country was the dominant issue in the meeting.

According to him, matters that border on security required a collective effort to confront.

“We had a fruitful discussion with them on our efforts to address some of the challenges in the Police unit, and obviously all of them are concerned about security in some parts of the country, virtually in all parts of the country.

“They are ready to support the Police Force to see how we can address some of the challenges.’’

He reassured that the Nigeria Police would continue to ensure reinforcements in the security apparatus of the country as being directed by the presidency.

“Obviously, it is a normal procedure, when we have challenges we normally reinforce.

“Having insecurity all over the country requires the participation of every citizen of this country.

“We have to put our heads together to address all the security challenges,’’ he said.