Ndi Igbo backs regional policing
Director-general of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission, Seye Oyeleye, has urged the National Assembly to accelerate the legislative process required to amend the 1999 Constitution to pave the way for the establishment of state police.
Oyeleye, who spoke in a telephone interview with The Guardian yesterday, stressed that the worsening security situation across the country makes it imperative for lawmakers to act swiftly, noting that the current centralised policing structure can no longer adequately respond to contemporary threats.
According to him, the National Assembly should not require persuasion to take decisive action on the matter.
He added that effective policing must begin at the grassroots level, arguing that community-based security architecture remains the most sustainable model for crime prevention.
He maintained that the earlier the legislature commences the amendment process, the better for the country’s security architecture.
However, a pan-Igbo socio-political organisation, the Ndi Igbo Worldwide Union, has rejected the ongoing proposal to establish state police in Nigeria.
The group urged the Federal Government to instead restore a regional policing structure similar to the system that existed before the 1966 Nigerian military coup.
In a statement signed by its President, Ben Nwankwo, and Secretary, Charles Edemuzo, the group argued that regional policing remains the most effective way to tackle Nigeria’s worsening security challenges, including banditry, kidnapping, and communal violence.
The Ndi Igbo Worldwide Union said that the state police proposal could create new political and governance problems.
Meanwhile, a socio-cultural group, under the aegis of Ethnic Youth Leaders, has commended the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Disu, for initiating steps toward tackling Nigeria’s security challenges, particularly the move to establish state police.
The youth leaders said the inauguration of a high-level steering committee on the establishment of state police by the IGP signalled a strong commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s internal security architecture and advancing community-oriented policing.
In a joint statement yesterday, the group’s Deputy Spokesperson, Mirabel Ashara, noted that the move was one of the early decisions taken by the IGP shortly after assuming office.
Ashara, while describing it as a bold step toward addressing the country’s persistent security concerns, said the composition of the steering committee reflects the seriousness attached to the initiative.
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