The Nigerian Governors’ Forum, on Wednesday night, set up a six-man committee to look into the various funding options for the Nigeria Police as well as consider the possibility of state police in the country.
The decision was taken after a presentation made to members by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, at the forum’s meeting held behind closed doors at the Old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The forum’s Chairman, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari, spoke with State House correspondents at the end of the meeting.
Yari, who is the Zamfara State Governor, said Idris listed the various challenges facing the Nigeria Police, especially funding.
He said the committee was also saddled with the responsibility of interfacing with the National Assembly’s committees on police on a Trust Fund Bill pending before the federal lawmakers.
The governor stated that the issue would thereafter be taken to the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, for further action.
Yari added, “We received presentation from the Inspector-General of Police. He made a presentation to us seeking our support to establish media outfits, radio and television, for the Force as well as for the Police to embrace technology from the current manual ways of doing things.
“In some countries, the ratio of police to the population is 1:10, but in Nigeria, we have 1:400.
“So, they have so many difficulties in terms of funding, which we agreed that with the way things go through the budgeting process, we cannot be able to fund the police.
“So, the Inspector-General of Police made us to know that there is a Trust Fund Bill, which is before the National Assembly and he asked for our support and that of the members of the National Assembly especially, the House of Representatives.
“On our own part, we have put a committee in place. It consists of the governors of Kwara, Imo, Delta, Ekiti, Bauchi and Sokoto states. The committee is to interface with the Committee on Police and take the matter before the Acting President for further action. It is important for our nation.
“Beside this, there is the issue of state police, which is being discussed and we are coming up with so many options which we are expecting the committee will consider and find safe way of policing in Nigeria.”
Idris also told journalists that he briefed the governors on the various security challenges being witnessed in parts of the country.
He stated, “We had a fruitful discussion with them and obviously all of them are concerned about security in virtually in all parts of the country.
“They are ready to support the Police Force to see how we can address some of the challenges.”
On the Acting President’s directive for reinforcements in the security apparatus of the country, he said, “Obviously, it is a normal procedure, when we have challenges, we normally reinforce.
“Having insecurity all over the country requires the participation of every citizen of this country. We have to put our heads together to address all the security challenges.
“The government is doing well; it is trying to bring communities closer and I think it takes a long time.”
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