Governors from all 17 Southern states of Nigeria met on Wednesday in Ogun State, making a strong demand for the federal government to approve the creation of State Police.
The leaders of the Southern Governors’ Forum stated that giving states the power to run their own police is the only way to stop the high rate of kidnappings and violence across the country.
The crucial meeting was hosted in the Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun's residence in Iperu.
Speaking after the meeting, Governor Abiodun stressed the importance of local knowledge in fighting crime.
“When a state has its own police, they know the forests, the roads, and the people better than anyone else,” the governor said.
“We need local hands to stop local crime, which is why State Police can no longer be delayed.”
Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, representing the South East, supported the demand, saying the current national police force is overworked.
“It is simple: the security personnel who live in the community will understand the problem faster than an officer posted from a faraway city,” Otti stated.
“We must be allowed to empower our own people to protect their homes and their children.”
The governors concluded that all efforts to improve the economy and attract new businesses will fail without tackling insecurity.
They plan to continue working together until the federal government agrees to the constitutional changes needed for state policing.
