Presidency seeks govs, N’Assembly’s support on state police

The Presidency on Saturday hinted that necessary constitutional
amendments would be done on the issue of state police as soon as it
got more support from state governors and the National
Assembly.

It explained that its main focus was the expansion of the
implementation of community policing as a way of tackling the
nation’s security challenges.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice-President on Media and
Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, said these in an interview with one of
our correspondents.

Akande was responding to a question on the step the Presidency
intended to take to actualise state police as canvassed by
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at the opening of a security summit
organised by the Senate recently.

Osinbajo had, at the event, said state police was the way to go
in the face of the security challenges facing the country.

His position has since been supported by state governors.

When asked specifically if the Presidency was planning to send
an executive bill to the National Assembly on the matter, Akande
said the necessary constitutional amendments would be done as the
issue got widespread support, especially from the federal lawmakers
and state governors.

He said since there was already a presidential order for
community policing to begin, which is currently the focus of the
Presidency.

Akande said, “Yes, we have advocated for state police and it is
gathering quite a bit of groundswell. As it gets widespread
support, especially among the state governments and the National
Assembly, we will be able to achieve the necessary constitutional
amendments.

“For now, the main focus is to expand the implementation of
community policing, which is to achieve virtually the same purpose
of police personnel being very familiar with and working in close
association with their local communities.

“As you know, there is already a presidential order issued for
community policing to begin.”

Osinbajo had, at the summit, said with the size of Nigeria, the
country could not be effectively policed centrally from Abuja,
hence the need for state police.

He had said, “We cannot realistically police a country the size
of Nigeria centrally from Abuja. State police and other community
policing methods are clearly the way to go.”

The Presidency on Saturday hinted that necessary constitutional
amendments would be done on the issue of state police as soon as it
got more support from state governors and the National
Assembly.

It explained that its main focus was the expansion of the
implementation of community policing as a way of tackling the
nation’s security challenges.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice-President on Media and
Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, said these in an interview with one of
our correspondents.

Akande was responding to a question on the step the Presidency
intended to take to actualise state police as canvassed by
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at the opening of a security summit
organised by the Senate recently.

Osinbajo had, at the event, said state police was the way to go
in the face of the security challenges facing the country.

His position has since been supported by state governors.

When asked specifically if the Presidency was planning to send
an executive bill to the National Assembly on the matter, Akande
said the necessary constitutional amendments would be done as the
issue got widespread support, especially from the federal lawmakers
and state governors.

He said since there was already a presidential order for
community policing to begin, which is currently the focus of the
Presidency.

Akande said, “Yes, we have advocated for state police and it is
gathering quite a bit of groundswell. As it gets widespread
support, especially among the state governments and the National
Assembly, we will be able to achieve the necessary constitutional
amendments.

“For now, the main focus is to expand the implementation of
community policing, which is to achieve virtually the same purpose
of police personnel being very familiar with and working in close
association with their local communities.

“As you know, there is already a presidential order issued for
community policing to begin.”

Osinbajo had, at the summit, said with the size of Nigeria, the
country could not be effectively policed centrally from Abuja,
hence the need for state police.

He had said, “We cannot realistically police a country the size
of Nigeria centrally from Abuja. State police and other community
policing methods are clearly the way to go.”