The 17 Southern Governors have praised their 19 Northern counterparts for unanimously supporting the creation of a state police to address the nation’s ongoing security issues.
The decision of their 19 northern counterparts and traditional rulers to demand the immediate establishment of state police to address the country’s ongoing insecurity was described as a “great relief” by the 17 southern governors in a statement released on Monday, September 19, 2022 by Rotimi Akeredolu, the governor of Ondo State and chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum.
Simon Lalong, the governor of Plateau State, led a group of northern governors and traditional leaders that convened in Abuja on September 12, 2022, and they issued “a resolution calling for the establishment of state police to confront security concerns in the region and the nation at large.”
In response, Akeredolu said in a statement released on Monday that “their decision to support the call for constitutional amendment to reflect the current realities could not have come at a better time than now when the confidence in the ability of the Federal Government to secure the country appears shaky.”
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“All patriots must applaud the 19 Northern Governors and the Northern Traditional Rulers Council for their bravery in taking a stand at this pivotal time for the nation.
“We will continue to urge that the establishment of state police is the only rational and practical response to the widespread issue of national insecurity. Additionally, we won’t forget to reaffirm our appeal for the enactment of laws that will actually devolve power to the federating units. The statement said, “This is the surest route to peace and progress.
The southern governors have constantly advocated for decentralising the nation’s policing structure and have supported state police.
The South-West governors had established the Amotekun organisation, and the South-East governors had also developed a regional security organisation, Ebube Agu, in an effort to stop the rising number of murders and kidnappings in their states.
Governor Samuel Ortom established the Benue Guards in the North Central area, but none of the regional or state units had received a licence from the federal government’s Inspector General of Police to use assault guns.
