Tinubu, 36 Governors Consider Creation of State Police to Combat Insecurity

Nigeria’s Federal Government and the 36 states on Thursday agreed on the need to establish state police to curtail issues bordering on insecurity across the country.

This was the highlight of the meeting between President Bola Tinubu and the 36 state governors under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja.

The meeting also directed security Chiefs especially the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; the Director-General of the Department of State Security (DSS), Yusuf Magaji Bichi and the Inspector -General of Police (IGP),Kayode Egbetokun, to clampdown on those hoarding commodities in order to bring them to book.

The President and the state governors have also discussed the possibility of improving the numeric strength of forest rangers to train them so that they can keep the nation’s forests and borders very safe.⁣

The meeting had in attendance Vice President Kashim Shettima and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

State governors that attended the meeting include that of Ekiti, Delta, Borno, Lagos, Kwara, Nasarawa, and Edo.

Others are Yobe, Anambra, Akwa Ibom,  Abia, Plateau, Kaduna, Sokoto, Niger, Taraba, Adamawa, Cross River, Ogun and Enugu.

Briefing newsmen at the end of the meeting, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said far reaching decisions were arrived at during the meeting including the consideration for the establishment of state police.

According to him, there will be series of meetings to fine tune the modalities for setting up state police.

His words, “But now, there is also a discussion around the issue of state police. The federal government and state governments are mulling the possibility of setting up state police.

“Of course, this is still going to be further discussed, a lot of work still has to be done in that direction. But what the federal government and state governments are agreeing to the necessity of having state policy.

“Now, this is a significant shift. But like I said, more works need to be done in that direction. A lot of meetings will have to happen between different government and sub nationals to see the modalities of achieving this.”

Speaking on other outcome of the meeting, Idris, said the meeting was at the instance of the President to intimate the state governors about recent developments, and what the federal government was doing and to also hear from the state governors, their input about issues of development in this country. ⁣

⁣According to him, “A lot of issues were discussed about the security situation in the country. The apparent food issue that the media has also been reporting about and some other measures that will help in improving the state of our nation.⁣ ⁣

“Now, the first point is that the governors and Mr. President have agreed to set up a committee to deepen the conversation that has happened at the just-concluded meeting. Of course, you know that it is impossible to complete most of the issues that were raised at the meeting so it is going to be a continuous one. ⁣

“Secondly, Mr. President and the governors have agreed that these kinds of meetings will continue in the interest of our nation. ⁣

“It is important that all the time, the federal government and the state governors who are leaders at the subnational level continue to engage and interact collectively so that issues of national importance will continue to be addressed, and we don’t leave room for any speculation or for people who may seize the opportunity to say things that are not in the interest of our country. ⁣

“First, the National Security Adviser, the Director General of the state services, and the Inspector General of Police have been directed to coordinate with the state governors to look at the issue of those hoarding commodities. ⁣

“At this point, the nation requires foods to be brought out to the people so that we can control prices and put food on the table of most Nigerians, other commodity traders are busy hoarding these commodities so that Nigerians will suffer or they will make more money as a result. ⁣

“So the governors and Mr. President have taken this decision that security agencies will collaborate with the state governors to ensure that this ends. ⁣

“Number two, a decision has also been taken that in the interest of our country, there will be no need for food importation at this point. Nigeria has the potential to feed itself and even be a net exporter of food items to other countries. And we do not also want to reverse some of the progress we have seen in terms of food production in this country. ⁣

“What we’re seeing now is just a temporary difficulty that will soon go away. Therefore, the solution to it is by continuous investment in agriculture so that food can be made available to all Nigerians. ⁣

“Of course, you know that Mr. President has declared emergency in agriculture many months ago. Therefore, part of the measures that he has taken is to ensure that investments, more investments are made in this sector for the benefit of our people.”

⁣The Minister said the governors agreed to join hands with the President to deepen their own investment in the agricultural sector so that more food will be made available to Nigerians. 

“Of course, this investment is not just in crop production, it is also in livestock development and management.

“All these is to ensure that food is available in the area of security Mr President and the state governors have all agreed that at this point, we are seeing significant improvement in the security situation around the country of course. ⁣

“This is not to say that the security situation has been solved completely. But we have seen significant improvement. In Borno, for example, areas where farmers have not been able to cultivate as a result of security, those farmers have now returned to their farms. 

“It is also the same thing in Jigawa and many parts of the country. The governors, including the governor of Plateau State, have also attested to the fact that despite all the challenges that we’re having, there appears to be improvement in security in these areas. ⁣

“Of course, as I said, the situation has not been completely solved. But we are seeing a positive movement towards a secure Nigeria. 

“Mr. President and the governors also thank the security agencies for the work they are doing. Some of them even pay the supreme price with their lives to ensure that Nigerians have a secure environment. They have thanked Mr. President for all that he’s doing. And they have also asked him to do more so that at the end of the day, we will have a completely secured Nigeria.⁣

“Now in this direction. Mr. President and the state governors have also discussed the possibility of improving the numeric strength of forest rangers to train them so that they can keep our forests and our borders very safe.⁣”

Idris, who was in the company of the governors of Plateau, Kaduna, Delta states and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and communication, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, further said President Tinubu also called on the state governors to join hands with the federal government to provide more for people, especially the teeming youth population. 

According to him: “There is going to be a joint programme between the State governments and the federal government to ensure that our teeming youth population is gainfully employed. So that we will reduce to the barest minimum the issue of unemployment in the country. ⁣

“At the end of it all, the 36 state governors and Mr. President are all on one page irrespective of political differences to ensure that Nigeria remains peaceful. Nigeria remains united. Nigeria remains prosperous, going forward. And this kind of conversation, like I said, will continue to be deepened. Engagements between the federal government and the state governors will continue.”

Speaking earlier at the meeting, President Tinubu ruled out the possibility of establishing commodities price control to monitor prices of food items in the country.

This is at variance with the position of Vice President Kashim Shettima on Tuesday to the effect that government was considering the possibility of setting up a price control board.

Shettima had said at the opening of a two-day high-level strategic meeting on climate change, food systems and resource mobilization  at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja said “Our solution to the potential food crisis has become immediate, medium, and long-term strategies. The short-term strategy entails revitalizing food supply through specific interventions like the distribution of fertilizers and grains to farmers and households to counteract the effects of subsidy removal; fostering collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Water Resources for efficient farmland irrigation, ensuring year-round food production; and addressing price volatility by establishing a National Commodity Board. 

“This board will continually assess and regulate food prices, maintaining a strategic food reserve for stabilizing prices of crucial grains and other food items”.

The President also had a piece of advise for state governors asking them to allow the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to carry out the mandate of managing the nation’s monetary policy.

According to a release issued on Thursday by presidential spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, the President declared ”We must ensure that speculators, hoarders, and rent seekers are not allowed to sabotage our efforts in ensuring the wide availability of food to all Nigerians. 

”What I will not do is to set a price control board. I will not also approve the importation of food. We should be able to get ourselves out of the situation we found ourselves in, because importation will allow rent seekers to perpetrate fraud and mismanagement at our collective expense. We would rather support farmers with the schemes that will make them go to the farm and grow more food for everyone in the country.

”We must also look at the rapid but thoughtful implementation of our livestock development and management plans, including dairy farming and others,” the President stated.

President Tinubu urged the governors to trust the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) with the management of the country’s monetary policy, emphasizing the importance of allowing designated institutions to fulfill their mandate effectively. 

He said the ”cacophony of postulations” on the fluctuation of foreign exchange rates was unduly affecting the market negatively. 

”Every one of us can not be an expert. If we have given someone an assignment, let us allow them to do it. If they can not do it, then we find a way to quickly get them out of the system,” the President affirmed. 

The President asked the governors to always make the welfare and prosperity of the people a priority of their development programmes, assuring them that the federal government will continue to work diligently to improve the nation’s revenue profile.

At the meeting, the President and the governors emphasized the importance of working together to address issues of insecurity, food security, and out-of-school children.

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for convening the meeting and affirmed the governors’ commitment to partnering closely with the federal government. 

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

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