We Fund the Police more than the Federal Government – NGF.

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, has noted that the ravaging security challenges in the country are affecting citizens’ safety and socio-economic development.

The forum stated this Thursday, at the opening of the two-day Multi-stakeholders Summit of the NGF Peace and Inclusive Security Initiative, PISI, in partnership with the Centre for Democracy and Development, CDD, in Abuja, 

The NGF Chairman and Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi noted that some governors fund the police more than the Federal Government.

According to him: “We buy them vehicles. We pay them allowances. In some cases, we even buy ammunition.

“If we are to engage our military in aid to civil authority, which you will find, actually in 36 states in this country today, the military is involved in internal security operations, which is a problem because, for me, it’s role inflation.

“Now, when you inflate the role of the security institution beyond its primary responsibility, you also have consequences that will come with that. That may not be palatable. But that’s where we are because most Nigerians don’t trust the police. They will still come and beg, governor, Governor, please, can you ask the brigade commander to put a roadblock in my area.”

He stated that the multi-stakeholders summit was organized to spark conversations towards finding innovative solutions to the security challenges in Nigeria.

He said: “Following the launch of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, Peace and Inclusive Security Initiative, PISI, in July 2021, the NGF is making efforts to create fora to share ideas on how every stakeholder can contribute to the work of restoring peace and security to the nation.

“As we already know, the level of insecurity across the country not only jeopardises citizens’ safety and means of livelihood but also impedes the exercise of the rights of Nigerians.”

“As Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, I am happy to report that the Forum supports any effort to create a more inclusive and collaborative platform to mobilise an immediate national response to our country’s security challenges.

“As deliberations would be held in different areas or spheres of endeavour, including, the roles of security agencies, civil societies and traditional institutions in managing the security challenges across the country, I hope that this summit will stimulate strategic and collaborative responses among stakeholders on managing conflict and restoring peace in all parts of Nigeria.”

The Governor stated that the police had been abused at the federal level and lamented over the opposition against state policing, against the backdrop of being used by the sub-national governments.

The Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, who also spoke on the panel, said: “To support multi-level policing is not necessarily the same thing as supporting state police but by simply saying that the job of policing a community should be a liaise.

“The existence of vigilantes is an aspect of multi policing. But we have not been able to get the best out of the situation because the vigilantes have not been treated as part of the security structure. And I think that’s what we need to do,” Lalong added.