Ohanaeze hopes that with time, govt’ll see need for State Police

Pan-Igbo social-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has expressed its disappointment over government’s rejection of the proposal for State Police in Nigeria.

The reaction came after the House of Representatives Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution this week rejected a bill seeking the creation of state police.

The House Committee scrapped the idea after 14 members of the committee voted against the amendment to section 214 of the 1999 constitution while only 11 others voted in support during a meeting to consider the bill.

Reacting to the rejection, National publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Alex Chidozie Ogbonnia hammered on the importance of having a State Police department, adding that the government would eventually see the beed for it.

“The issue of central police has already collapsed in Nigeria,” said Ogbonnia.

READ ALSO: ‘South-East wants political solution to Kanu’s case,’ Ohanaeze tells Buhari

“In a Federation, there ought to be multiple levels of security architecture, even down to the local Government Area. There is no Federation without multiple levels of security architecture. They compliment the central police.

“Here is the South East, that is why Ohanaeze supports the formation of Ebubeagu, they operate at local levels to compliment the central security architecture.

“They (Ebubeagu personnel) have a relationship with the rural communities and make the job of the central police easier because they understand the environment more than somebody from outside.

“Evidently, there is a need for them to complement each other. I want to believe that with time, they will understand the need for state police”.

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