Ondo Sttae Governor, His Excellency Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) urges Federal Government to explore the creation of State Police, suggests appointment of Police Commissioners to be

NBA-SPIDEL 2021

The Ondo State Governor, His Excellency, Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has urged the Federal Government to ensure the creation of state police as measures aimed at tackling recurring insecurity situation in the country.

Gov. Akeredolu spoke as a special guest on Day 1 of the 2021 annual conference organised by the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA SPIDEL) of the NBA.

The conference is holding at the Jagor Centre in Ibadan Oyo State from May 23 to May 26, 2021.

Akeredolu harped on the need to create state police as part of measures aimed at comabting the level of insecurity in the country.

He recommended the decentralization of the Nigeria Police Force to allow its regional headquarters to be more effective in tackling security challenges.

“The over-centralization of the security apparatus around the Inspector General of Police is hampering the prompt response to security challenges in the country.

“The model used in the structure of the Judiciary, which allows Governors to appoint High Court Judges while the issue of their discipline is handled by the National Judicial Council, can provide the proper checks and balances if used as a template to reorganize the Nigeria Police Force.

“This is to say that State Governors are allowed to appoint Commissioners of Police in their various States while they can only be removed on the recommendation of the Nigeria Police Service Commission.

“This will enable the Governors to be able to exercise more control over security structure in their State while the Federal Government is allowed to check the exercise of such powers by the State Governors.

“A Police Commissioner who knows that although he owes his appointment to a Governor but can only be removed by the Nigeria Police Service Commission will be assertive in carrying out his functions.” he said

Gov. Akeredolu also urged that there is the need for regions in the country to adopt the Amotekun initiative in tackling the various security challenges bedevling the nation.

According to him, local vigilantes or state security structures are effective in tackling crime when viewed against the current national security architecture, especially the Police Force.

For instance, he noted that the experiences in Ondo State have confirmed that security issues are best handled with a large dose of local content.

He observed that posting security personnels to parts of the country where they may not know the communal terrain cannot asssit in effectively tackling insecurity in the nation.

According to him, the Amotekun Corps has on several occasions uncovered the hideouts of crime syndicates within some forests in Ondo State.

"The efficacy of a State-owned security agency like Amotekun in checking crime cannot be overemphasized.

" The success of this security unit goes to underscore the importance of State Police in a federal system of government.

“It is only people living in a community that has access to the best intelligence report.

"They understand the terrain, They know the network and will be able to apprehend suspects and criminals within the local community

“Apart from these facts, issues as to language barrier deter exchange of intelligence report between the communities and alien police officers,"