Afenifere calls for state policing to tackle banditry, insecurity

The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has implored the Federal Government to entrench state policing by granting governors unilateral powers to secure their respective domains.

According to the group, this move is necessary in order to check the activities of the bandits who have reportedly establish cells across the country.

This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Afenifere National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, who said President Muhammadu Buhari is aware of the security challenges facing the country but refused to be proactive about the menace.

Afenifere explained that the war against insecurity can be won by doing “the following: Do away with primordial cleavages, equipping security agencies, particularly the army and the police, and boost their morale with good pay and good welfare packages.

“Let perpetrators of banditry face the full wrath of the law without let or hindrance. Impunity must stop now.

“Allowing state governors to truly become the chief security officers of their respective states by letting them have their policing system with all the powers they need to operate with.

“Convey meetings of all, or virtually, all ethnic nationalities across the country. The meetings should include various interest groups and stakeholders.

Read also: Afenifere cautions Nigerian govt against planned farm estates across states

”These must be done urgently as the country is bleeding too seriously from various arteries.

“From all indications, President Buhari is very much aware of the security challenges facing the country, as well as the way out. For, as far back as 2011, during his campaign for presidency under the banner of Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, he promised that the policing system in the country would be decentralised such that the state, local governments, and the communities would have their own police.

“Indeed, going by several statements that had come from the President, he is very much aware of the challenges. What is lacking is the will and determination to confront the challenges headlong. We would not be uncharitable to raise the issue of capability as the government is in possession – or should be – of all that is needed to tackle such challenges.

“The failure of government to act decisively on security challenges confronting Nigerians has imperilled the social and economic activities in various parts of the country. This is not only deepening the poverty and despondence in the land, it is heightening the loss of trust and confidence in government by the people.”

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